


Quarantine

by TVTime



Category: All American (TV)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Amicable Exes, Anal Fingering, Anal Gaping, Anal Sex, Asher is a moaner, Asher just discovered edging, Ass Play, Bicurious Jordan, Bisexual Male Character, Blow Jobs, College Roommates, Coming Out, Condoms, Couch Cuddles, Cuddling & Snuggling, Cum Play, Cum Swallowing, Dirty Talk, Dry Humping, Dubiously Consensual Blow Jobs, Facials, First Kiss, First Time Blow Jobs, Friendship, Frottage, Heavy Petting, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Jordan just needs to get laid, M/M, Making Out, Masturbation, Masturbation Interruptus, Morning Cuddles, Muscle Worship, Naked Cuddling, Negotiations, Porn Watching, Precum, Quarantine, Rimming, Rough Kissing, Sexual Experimentation, Sexual Frustration, Sexual Humor, Sharing a Bed, Sixty-Nining, Smut, Tribadism - except with boys, Zooming, cum, cum as lube, jerking off, lockdown - Freeform, smut and humor, social distancing, supportive friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:09:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 51,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24367084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TVTime/pseuds/TVTime
Summary: Asher’s life is upended when he enters quarantine with Jordan and discovers that social distancing has Jordan craving intimacy from the only person who can give it: Asher.Now Asher must decide how close he’s willing to get to his best friend.Chapter 14: Asher and JordanAfter a few moments, they both relaxed and laid back down facing each other.“So um” –Jordan slotted their legs together and rubbed Asher’s side– “you forgive me? For all that stuff?”Asher let out a shaky breath. “Yeah.” He meant it.“And you are attracted to me?” Jordan’s thigh brushed Asher’s crotch through his pajama pants. “You have those feelings for me?”“Yeah,” Asher whispered. He could hardly breathe.A grin broke across Jordan’s face as he leaned in to kiss Asher.
Relationships: Asher Adams/Jordan Baker
Comments: 283
Kudos: 186





	1. Obnoxious and Horny

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is meant to be something light and fun for a pairing I’ve liked for a long time (thanks to my buddy Uthizaar and his awesome story [Carpe Diem](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16911717/chapters/39731934)). The premise is Asher and Jordan are college roommates stuck in quarantine together in current times. I hope it’s timely in a relatable, cathartic way and not in an unpleasant, jarring way. Please don’t read if it’s triggering of course. Although I promise no one will be getting sick or suffering any serious fallout. It’s just an excuse to have Asher and Jordan isolating together.

Asher gasped, his leg shaking as an orgasm tore through his body and he sprayed cum across his bare chest and stomach. He was still trembling, his hand slick with lube and a little bit of cum that had dribbled onto his fingers at the end, as he fumbled with his mouse, trying not to get it too messy as he went to X out of the video he was watching. His finger slipped off the button and hit the scroll wheel in the middle, cranking the volume all the way up just as the girl on screen faked a very loud orgasm – Gah, if that was real Asher was jealous, even though his own orgasm had completely rocked his world.

“Ash, you’re being obnoxious!” Jordan shouted as he banged on the wall by Asher’s desk. “Turn that shit down!”

Asher cringed as he finally succeeded in closing the video. He didn’t answer, just played with his balls and tried to slow his racing heart.

Twenty minutes later, after cleaning up and relaxing for a bit, Asher was in the kitchen fixing a snack when Jordan walked in wearing a pair of their old Beverly gym shorts and a t-shirt, his lips pursed and a scowl etched across his face.

“I was on a Zoom call with my dad.”

“Oh shit.” Asher groaned and scrubbed a hand across his face. “Sorry man.”

“You need to knock it off. Just because we can’t go out doesn’t mean you have to sit in your room jerking off twenty-four seven.”

Asher’s cheeks heated and he folded his arms. “I don’t.”

Jordan gave him a dull look. “Dude, we share a wall. I always hear you. Even when you’re not blasting it as loud as it’ll go.”

“That was an accident.”

“And the moaning?”

“Like I said, I turned it up by accident.”

“ _Your_ moaning.” 

Asher looked away and took a noisy sip of his drink. “I don’t moan.”

Jordan thrust his hand into his pocket and yanked out his phone, brandishing it like a weapon. “Don’t make me record you and play it back.”

“Ugh, that was the first time I came today, okay?! I’ve been edging off and on since I woke and it was…a lot better than I expected when I finished.”

“Well congratu-fucking-lations!” Jordan snapped, shoving his phone back into his pocket.

“Dude, maybe if you went and rubbed one out, you’d quit being such a douche.”

“I don’t wanna rub one out!” Jordan shouted, grabbing his junk through his shorts. “I wanna get laid! I’m used to getting laid. _A lot._ ”

“Oh I remember,” Asher mumbled, leaning back against the counter. “You eclipsed JJ’s lifetime number in like a single month last year.”

Jordan shrugged in a way that was almost modest. “It was probably more like over two months.”

Asher rolled his eyes. “I’ve only been with four girls ever, and I only went all the way with two.”

Jordan laughed. “Yeah man, your porn habit aside you’re kinda a prude.”

Asher growled and grabbed his plate of veggies off the counter, intent on getting back to his room.

“I’m kidding.” Jordan stepped into his path and bumped his shoulder with his knuckles. “I think it’s cool that you only have sex with people you care about.”

“Right, _you_ think it’s cool.”

“I do,” Jordan answered, a frown forming on his face. “It keeps you from” –he lowered his voice– “getting hurt.”

A flush of sympathy rolled over Asher, and he returned the shoulder bump Jordan had given him as he realized his friend was referring to his failed relationship with Simone.

“I mean, not really,” he answered softly. “Olivia and I still broke up.”

“Yeah, but she loved you,” Jordan muttered.

“Simone loved you,” Asher answered.

Jordan glared at him like he had said something mean.

“Look, no one’s making you bang every girl that looks twice at you. If you think you should take it slow for a change – do that. Slow down. Get to know her first.”

“Who?!” Jordan shouted.

“What?”

“Who the fuck am I even supposed to take it slow with?! I can’t go anywhere, or meet anyone, or have anyone over.”

“Oh, well I meant after lockdown.”

“That could be like eighteen months.”

Asher shrugged. It wasn’t like he could end the pandemic so Jordan could start dating again.

“I don’t jerk off much because it doesn’t satisfy me,” Jordan said quietly. “I need sex.”

“Sorry man.” Asher laughed. “I can’t really help you.”

“I-I mean…” Jordan licked his lips and gave Asher a meaningful look. “You _could._ ”

Asher’s eyes widened and he took a step back. “You’re joking, right?”

“Yeah.” Jordan gave an awkward laugh and shrugged one shoulder. “…But also no.”

“What?!”

“You’re like the _only_ person I’m allowed to have sex with.”

“HUH?!”

“Because we’re quarantined together.”

“That doesn’t make us gay.”

“No, but…it’s kinda making me bicurious,” Jordan answered with another laugh, his voice tense with anxiety despite his obvious attempt at being cavalier. 

“Oh. Uh…” Asher mentally raced through what he was supposed to say in a situation like this. “I’m okay with that, and it wouldn’t change our friendship if you turned out to like guys too.”

“Thanks man,” Jordan said with a smile as he held eye contact. “Same.”

Asher took another step back and bumped the stove. Why did Jordan feel the need to tell him _that_? He wasn’t– 

“I’m not interested,” Asher said in firm but neutral voice.

“Okay.” Jordan stepped back too and raised his hands. “I respect that. Let me know if you change your mind. ‘Cause I’m not saying we have to do everything, or even very much, but we could do _something_ – you know, just for the sake of human touch – if you wanted to.”

“Okay,” Asher gave a nod and edged past Jordan to get out of the room. “I’ll tell you if, uh if I wanna, um, explore my sexuality.” Oh god.

Asher resisted the urge to run back to his room, forcing himself to walk instead. Once there, he had to fight even harder not to lock the door, but Jordan would have probably heard the lock click, and it wasn’t like he thought Jordan would actually try to _force_ himself on him. He had to play it cool. He wasn’t interested, but Jordan had trusted him with something pretty significant, and he didn’t want to hurt him or wreck their friendship again. He just had to make sure to quit fucking moaning when he watched porn!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! 
> 
> Feedback is greatly appreciated!


	2. Diagrams and Rope Bridges

Asher expected things to get weird between them after Jordan’s _suggestion,_ so he went out of his way to act as normal as possible. Jordan seemed to have chosen the same approach, and so, other than them being especially nice to each other for a few days, things didn’t get weird after all. Eventually Asher didn’t need to try to be normal around Jordan because things _were_ normal…until he caught Jordan checking him out.

They were playing video games in the living room and Asher got up to get his phone charger. The nearest outlet was the one a few feet from Jordan almost at floor level. So Asher bent down to plug it in. He wouldn’t have noticed anything when he turned back, except that Jordan whipped his head away and cleared his throat, eying the television far too intently.

It was…well actually pretty funny, and Asher couldn’t resist calling him out on it.

“Were you looking at my ass?” he asked, trying to keep a straight face.

Jordan shrugged and gave Asher an abashed sideways glance. “Not on purpose. It just kinda happened.”

“How?”

“Huh?”

Asher plopped onto the sofa and gave Jordan a curious glance. “Like, you never used to check out guys, and now you’re just doing it automatically?”

“Yeah, but…just you.”

Asher arched his brow. “I don’t get it.”

Jordan tilted his head and arched his own brow. “You’re a good-looking guy, Ash.”

“No, I know,” Asher answered with a smirk. “I’m hot. I just don’t see how I’m the _only_ guy you wanna do stuff with.”

“You’re just the only guy I’ve seriously _thought_ about doing stuff with.” Jordan shrugged again and licked his lips. “For all I know I might not even like it. Or I might enjoy it with other guys too. I don’t _know_ and it’s just…”

“Yeah?” Asher asked softly, keeping his face neutral and his posture open. He didn’t want Jordan to feel put on the spot, but he was curious and wanted to understand better.

“You’re just stuck in my head. So yeah, I can’t help but notice when your ass is almost in my face.” Jordan laughed, downplaying his comment. “But I’m not trying to be a creep. I’ll try not to look anymore.”

“No, it’s okay,” Asher answered, deciding he meant it. “It doesn’t bother me. Thanks for being honest.”

Jordan shrugged and looked away.

They resumed playing their game, but Asher couldn’t focus. When Jordan had first brought things up in the kitchen the other day, Asher had been so freaked out, confused, and worried about their friendship imploding that he hadn’t really _considered_ the content of what Jordan was saying and how it might work. He still wasn’t thinking about it, at least not about doing it; he was simply now considering it as a thing that existed within the realm of possibility _in Jordan’s mind,_ which was interesting. 

“Dude, you’re sucking today.”

“What? No, I’m not,” Asher answered with a derisive snort.

“That was such an easy shot,” Jordan said, motioning at the screen.

Oh. Right. The game. Asher paused it and turned on the couch to face Jordan. 

“What kind of things would you even want to do?”

Jordan looked confused for a second, then his eyes lit with understanding and he smirked. He opened his mouth, but closed it again as visible apprehension replaced the excited smirk. “I dunno.”

“It was your idea.”

“Yeah, but, I don’t have, like, a plan or a diagram of where everything would go.” Jordan gave him a lingering look. “Do you want to?”

“No, not at all,” Asher answered, meaning it.

Jordan huffed. “Then why’d you ask?”

“Forget I said anything. Let’s get back to the game.”

“We could sit closer,” Jordan blurted out as Asher unpaused.

He re-paused and looked back at Jordan. “What?”

“We could” –he waved at the empty couch cushion between them– “you know, sit closer.”

“Would you like that?” Asher asked, arching his brow.

“Yeah.” Jordan gave a crisp, confident nod. “I think I would.”

“Okay.” Asher patted the space beside him. 

“Oh, right now?” Jordan swallowed and stared at the cushion like it was a hundred-foot rope bridge he had to traverse.

“Did you wanna wait until tomorrow?” Asher asked, trying to keep the smirk off his mouth.

Jordan glared at him and scooched into the center of the cushion. He cleared his throat. “Meet me halfway.”

Asher frowned. “You’re the one who wants to do this.”

“Yeah, but I don’t want it to seem like I’m making a move on you.”

“Oh for god’s sake.” Asher slid up against Jordan and resumed the game. 

Jordan’s knee was hot against Asher’s and their elbows kept hitting as they played.

“This is really weird,” Asher mumbled.

“Yeah, it turns out I’m not into it,” Jordan answered.

They both let out relieved sighs and scooted apart.

“I lied,” Jordan said as the night wore on and they turned on Netflix.

“About what?”

“Not being into it.” Jordan glanced at Asher’s knee then back up to his face. “Your skin was warm.”

Asher didn’t say anything, just let the information sink in.

Jordan cleared his throat. “So if you want to” –he patted the cushion the way Asher had earlier– “move over here while we watch the movie…”

Asher shook his head and stared at the television even though nothing was playing.

Jordan wordlessly selected a movie and turned it on.

They watched in tense silence until midway through, Jordan got up to use the restroom.

Asher’s heart thumped as he stretched out on the couch, telling himself he was just getting comfortable. His phone vibrated with a text a few seconds later.

Jordan: _Lame movie. I think I’m just gonna go to bed._

Relief washed over Asher and he tapped out a response. _Yeah, dumb movie. I’m tired too._

His thumb poised over the send button, but he kept re-reading Jordan’s message, each time hearing it in a sadder version of Jordan’s voice. If they went to bed now things _would_ get weird between them.

Asher: _I think you should come back._

He could hardly breathe as Jordan walked into the room about a minute later, noted Asher’s change in position, and smiled.

“Where am I supposed to sit?” If Jordan was trying to sound annoyed, he was doing a crappy job of it.

Asher faked a yawn and a stretch and sat up, making space in the seat he had occupied for most of the day as he sat in the middle with his legs sprawled in Jordan’s former seat.

Jordan swallowed and sat, and Asher leaned against him. 

Asher thought it was going to be awkward as hell, but then Jordan shoved back against him and reclaimed more of the space, his arm finding its way around Asher’s shoulders without it seeming forced. Asher repositioned too, foregoing draping his legs across the empty seat in favor of crossing them, which left his knee partly in Jordan’s lap.

“This movie isn’t as bad as I thought,” Jordan whispered a couple minutes later.

Asher shrugged against Jordan’s chest. “It’s okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! 
> 
> Feedback is greatly appreciated!


	3. Zipping and Zooming

“Can I ask you a favor?”

“Sure,” Asher answered, tipping his head back to nudge Jordan’s.

They were sitting in the living room, propped against each other’s backs on the couch as they messed around on their laptops. Over the past two days, since _the movie,_ they had been getting a lot more touch-ey. It actually wasn’t that weird because it was completely non-sexual, and it wasn’t even all out cuddling. They just spent more time in each other’s space when they weren’t in their rooms. If Jordan was getting something out of this, Asher was perfectly willing to go along with it. It was kind of nice.

“Can I jerk off?”

Asher froze and sat up a little, putting some space between their upper backs and shoulders. “Uh, that’s not really my call. It’s your body.”

“I mean right now. Right here.” Jordan leaned further back, reclosing the space between them and brushing the backs of their heads together. 

“Okay, um sure. I’ll clear out and go to my room and– Oh…” Asher’s stomach twisted into knots. “You want me to stay, don’t you?”

“Yeah,” Jordan answered in a strained voice.

“Whoa, did you start already?”

“No!” Jordan elbowed Asher’s ribs. “I’m just nervous.”

“Oh.”

“But I’m hard.”

“Oh.” The knots in Asher’s stomach twisted tighter.

“And I have porn pulled up.” Jordan trembled against Asher’s back. “And I’m so damn horny.”

Asher swallowed. “And you need me to be here?”

“No, I _want_ you to be here. If you don’t want to it’s cool.”

“What am I supposed to do?” Asher asked, worrying his bottom lip.

“Nothing.” Jordan bumped their shoulders together. “You don’t have to do anything, Ash. Just go back to whatever you were doing. I don’t need you to watch or talk dirty or anything. You can completely ignore me.”

That seemed pretty reasonable…even if Asher was lowkey terrified. 

“Okay, uh, go ahead I guess.”

“Thanks!” Jordan breathed a sigh of relief and shifted around behind Asher. 

There was a faint snap of elastic. Then a few seconds later, Jordan’s elbow started rhythmically bouncing against Asher’s.

Asher giggled and covered his mouth. 

Jordan’s elbow kept bouncing. 

Asher took deep breaths through his nose as he tried to hold back his laughter. But then Jordan let out a little sigh and Asher lost it, cracking up and shaking with laughter.

“Dude!” Jordan sounded indignant. “I’m jerking off. It’s not funny.”

“It’s kinda funny,” Asher assured him, still sputtering with barely contained chortles.

“I expected you to be weirded out or maybe turned on, but not…hysterical.”

“It’s just the situation,” Asher answered, schooling his features into a serious mask and clearing his throat. “I promise not to laugh when you blow your load.”

“Gosh, that’s reassuring,” Jordan muttered.

Asher dissolved into another fit of giggles.

“SERIOUSLY?!” 

“I’m okay, I’m okay.”

“You’re killing my boner, dude.”

“I thought you had porn,” Asher answered.

“It’s on. That’s the only reason my boner’s not completely dead.”

“Well turn it up. Set the mood.”

The smack of skin on skin and a woman moaning and panting filled the air.

“Oh, it’s straight porn?” Asher didn’t know why but that surprised him. He was fully prepared to hear some dude-on-dude grunts.

“Nah, lesbian.”

“Lesbian? Huh, so no wang to be found?”

“Nope, this is a completely wang-free video,” Jordan confirmed with a chuckle of his own.

“You can watch guys if you want. It won’t freak me out.”

“I don’t know if I like guys.”

“Well um, wouldn’t that help you figure it out?”

Jordan cleared his throat. “I was kinda hoping _you_ would help me figure it out.”

Oh. Okay, _that_ freaked Asher out. 

“Are you close?” Asher asked over the needy, high-pitched moans.

“My boner’s dead.”

“May it rest in peace.”

Jordan grumbled and turned off the porn. “I was kinda hoping it wouldn’t.”

Asher’s cock was seriously confused. Prior to quarantine he jerked off once or twice a week tops. Every morning he went for a run and every afternoon after class, he either had football practice or hit the gym hard. His weekends were spent doing drills or pumping iron. That left some time for studying, and he worked socializing into his schedule, and until they broke up he did his best to make Olivia a priority – but he didn’t exactly have hours to spend playing with his dick…until the pandemic completely upended his routine and suddenly he had mountains of time to kill. It didn’t take long for him to get _really_ into porn and masturbation. Once or twice a week turned into once or twice a day almost over night with the length of each session getting longer and longer until he was up to about three-to-five times a day and always kept porn open and ready to go on his computer so he could jump right to it as soon as the impulse struck…until Jordan informed him he was a moaner, threatened to record it, and also mentioned that – oh yeah by the way, he was hot for Asher’s body. 

Knowing that Jordan could hear him and was probably annoyed, maybe into it, or possibly both, had put the brakes on Asher’s newfound hobby pretty quick. This evening it would be six days exactly since Jordan had made his revelation, and in that time Asher had only cum once – in the shower three days ago. Pre-Covid, once in three days would have been completely normal; post-Covid he was ready to pop.

It didn’t help that now that Jordan wasn’t trying to bounce Asher’s elbow into next week, he couldn’t get the sound of those girls moaning in the video out of his head. It _really_ didn’t help that all he was wearing was a sleeveless workout shirt and a pair of shorts. For a few days after Jordan’s reveal, he had quit freeballing but…it was just so much more comfortable, he wasn’t going anywhere, it saved laundry, and, well, it wasn’t like Jordan was going to _mind_ if he noticed. Having his throbbing cock one thin layer of fabric away from release wasn’t doing his self control any favors though.

“I think I’m gonna go take a nap,” he said as he shuffled around on the couch, taking the opportunity to tuck his erection into his waistband before getting up.

“K,” Jordan answered, barely glancing at him.

Asher licked his lips, already mentally picking out what he was going to watch. “Are you going to stay out here or go in your room?”

Now Jordan did look up, his brow furrowed. “I dunno, why?”

Asher shrugged. “No reason. Just curious.”

Was it his imagination or did Jordan glance at his crotch as he lowered his eyes back to his laptop? Crap, did he know? Could he tell Asher was _tucked_?

“I’ll probably just stay here,” Jordan answered. Was he smirking?

Asher didn’t say anything, just hustled out of the living room and down the hall to his bedroom.

His shorts hit the floor barely three seconds later, and he had one hand wrapped around his erection as he reached for the doorknob with the other to lock it. He stopped. It was almost silent in their condo, and the locks clicked into place with a distinctive metal click. Jordan might hear. And why would Asher lock the door if he was just taking a nap?

He swallowed. It was fine. Jordan wouldn’t enter without knocking, and Asher would hear him coming down the hallway first anyway.

He woke up his computer and eased into his desk chair, careful to keep it from creaking. Crud, his keyboard was so noisy as he typed his password. He shut his speakers off and waited for his browser to re-start. Ugh, this was why it was better to leave the porn up and ready to go.

Lube. He needed lube. He hissed through his teeth as he opened his desk drawer to get it and it squeaked. 

A few seconds later his cock was slicked up and rock hard in his hand as he watched a couple in a hotel room fuck like their lives depended on it. He had chosen it for a reason. It reminded him of his first time with Olivia, and reliving it would get him off _fast._

“Uhhn. Ooh. Eehh.” He covered his mouth with his free hand, desperately trying to stay quiet as his cock started feeling better and better. “Aahooh.”

_Shit._

He held his breath, remembering the way Olivia had cried out when she came. He was so, so, _so_ close.

_Creak!_

His heart leaped into his throat as the sofa in the living room sounded a squeaky alarm, followed by the heavy fall of Jordan’s footsteps.

_Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck._

Asher shoved the bottle of lube back in the drawer and sprang to his feet just as Jordan knocked on his door.

“Ash, you awake? I thought I heard you moving around.”

“Don’t come in!” He slammed his lubey palm against the door just as the knob started to turn.

“Jeez, okay.”

“I-I’m changing.”

“I thought you were taking a nap?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” Asher answered, glaring daggers at the door.

“Okay, well come back out. It’s time for lunch.”

“Yeah okay.”

Asher’s erection had already wilted into a semi by the time Jordan retreated back up the hall, but he was pretty sure he would be popping boners for the rest of the day, so he put on a snug pair of trunks and chinos before sliding back on his sleeveless shirt and leaving his room. He looked ridiculous, but no way was he going back to freeballing in his shorts, and there was no point in putting on a nicer shirt.

Jordan arched an eyebrow at him as he entered the kitchen.

“I was cold,” he said with a scowl.

Jordan sat beside him as they ate their lunch, _right_ beside him, their knees touching – well Jordan’s knee touching the knee of his pants. Then it was back to the couch with Jordan practically sitting on top of him. He wanted to tell him to back the fuck off, but he was pretty sure he was only this irritable because of his interrupted attempt to get relief. He had been cool with the extra contact the last couple of days and didn’t want to bite Jordan’s head off just because he was horny.

Eventually they settled back into their positions from that morning, sitting propped up back-to-back as they distracted themselves with their laptops. 

Asher sighed, scrubbing his palm over the tent in his pants as he shifted his laptop to his other knee. Dammit this sucked. And it was beyond unfair that that morning Jordan had literally planned to bust his nut with Asher leaning against him while Asher couldn’t even unload quietly in his own room.

He eyed his tent longingly, his pulse quickening as he realized what he wanted to do, what he was _going_ to do. Fuck double standards.

He leaned back and unbuttoned his pants. Jordan hummed and returned the firm contact.

It felt…it felt good. 

Asher’s fingers twitched as he tugged his zipper down. This was okay. Jordan would like this, like a lot, and Asher fucking wanted to do it. If he couldn’t jerk off in private without Jordan knowing, then he might as well just fucking _own it_ the way he used to before things got weird. Granted if he wanted it to be _just_ like it had been, that would mean going to his room, turning on some porn at a normal volume, and just going for it without feeling self conscious. But right now…

He eased the front of his trunks down, watching in delight as his cock sprang out. Right now he wanted _this._ He wanted his cock out in his living room. He wanted to fucking blow all over himself and dare Jordan to say a word about it.

He curled his fingers around his shaft and gave it a long, tight stroke, making zero effort to hold back the deep, satisfied sigh that tumbled from his lips. Jordan was welcome to notice whenever he noticed.

He kept stroking himself as he opened his bookmarks and pulled up PornHub. And he was _not_ going to put it on mute either.

“Hi Dad.”

“Hey Son.”

Asher’s jaw dropped and his blood ran cold as Coach Baker’s voice blared from Jordan’s laptop barely a foot behind him.

“Is that shaggy head behind you Ash?” Coach Baker teased.

Asher slammed the lid of his laptop closed and yanked it into his lap – _Yow,_ it was hot!

“Yeah, that’s him,” Jordan answered with a chuckle. “Say hey, Ash.”

Asher reluctantly half turned and gave an awkward wave over Jordan’s shoulder. “Hi Coach.”

“How are you boys holding up?”

“Fine,” Jordan answered.

“Yep,” Asher agreed. Everything was just fucking fine.

As the Zoom call continued, Asher discreetly put his cock away and zipped himself back up. 

Yep fine. So fucking fine. Couldn’t be finer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be properly smutty – not just attempted smut like this one :P
> 
> Feedback is greatly appreciated!


	4. Mine and Yours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Random, but the chapter naming convention I’ve been using for this story has been [part of speech] _and_ [same part of speech]. So adjective and adjective for the first chapter, nouns and nouns for the second, gerund and gerund for the third, and now we come to possessive pronoun and possessive pronoun…simple verbs and simple adverbs will probably buy us some more time, but it’s entirely possible in a few chapters we’ll be stuck with something like, “However and Therefore” as the chapter title. Anyway…

Asher didn’t get up during the Zoom call with Coach Baker because he didn’t want to be rude and, as distracted and frustrated as he was, it was kind of cool catching up with him as well as getting an update on Olivia. She and Layla were quarantined together in Boston. Asher texted with them both occasionally, but he was pretty sure Olivia’s dad had a different perspective than she would share with her ex. She was okay, had a new sponsor, and was attending virtual meetings. Meanwhile Layla was occupying herself mixing music and collaborating with Coop remotely on new tracks. Nevertheless, updates aside, as the call with Coach Baker ended, Asher was more than ready to go back to his room and fucking finally get some relief. 

He opened his mouth to tell Jordan that he needed to stay in here with his earbuds in and leave him the fuck alone until he came back out.

“I miss seeing him in person,” Jordan said with a sigh.

“Yeah, that sucks. So–”

“And my mom and Liv. Hell even Grandpa Willy.”

“Yeah.” Asher sagged against the couch. “I feel like I’m in limbo with my mom. And I know my dad is just sitting by himself drinking all day. He’s barely coherent when I can even get him on the phone.”

Jordan grunted and draped an arm around Asher’s shoulders. “I’m glad that at least we’re together, and we have each other.”

Asher hesitated before taking a deep breath and letting some of the tension melt away from him.

“Me too,” he answered, bumping his knuckles against the side of Jordan’s leg.

Jordan’s grip around Asher tightened, his fingers going from merely resting against Asher’s bare shoulder to gripping it and massaging with his thumb.

Asher was suddenly very aware that he was in a thin, sleeveless shirt and that half his pec was exposed as he pressed against Jordan’s body. He sat up straighter and adjusted his shirt, providing a little more coverage and a little less contact.

Jordan didn’t reclose the distance, but his hand dipped lower on Asher’s skin, drifting from his shoulder to his bicep.

“What are you doing?”

“Touching you.” Jordan licked his lips and looked into Asher’s eyes, his face stormy with uncertainty. “Is that okay?”

Asher opened his mouth but nothing came out. He didn’t know if it was okay or not. He turned his head and watched as Jordan’s tentative exploration became bolder, as he gripped and caressed Asher’s bicep. When he squeezed, Asher automatically responded by flexing. 

“Fuck, Ash.” Jordan’s voice was hushed and carried an air of awe that warmed Asher’s cheeks.

Asher drew a trembling breath as a pulsing weight stirred in his pants.

“It’s okay, I’m nervous too,” Jordan whispered.

Asher glanced at the tent in Jordan’s red athletic shorts. He was _definitely_ freeballing. There was almost no restriction whatsoever, and the head of his cock was visible through the lightweight fabric. Asher glanced away as quick as he noticed it.

“Are you comfortable?” Jordan asked, his thumb sliding between Asher’s bicep and his bare side.

Asher shook his head.

“Why don’t you take off your pants then?” Jordan whispered, slipping his thumb into Asher’s shirt and stroking the bulge of muscle at the perimeter of his pec.

“That’s not…” Asher’s cock strained against the confines of his chinos, his balls heavy and sensitive in the tight space beneath. “A bad idea.” 

He unbuttoned and unzipped his fly but made no move to spread the flaps or expose his erection. It was a relief just to ease some of the pressure. 

“That’s some nice underwear,” Jordan said, eying the black fabric stretched over the base of Asher’s erection and the sleek waistband that hung low on his pelvis.

Asher shrugged. He should have put on a pair of old briefs…but he was glad he hadn’t.

“I’m not wearing any underwear,” Jordan whispered.

“I can tell,” Asher answered, resisting the fleeting impulse to glance at Jordan’s crotch again, instead studying his face.

“I want to keep going,” he whispered.

“I can tell,” Asher repeated. It was plain from the intensity in Jordan’s eyes and the urgent, excited draw of his lips.

“And you’re hard too.”

Asher clenched his jaw and looked away from Jordan’s face. “But not for the same reason.”

“What do you mean?”

“I just need to get off in general. It has nothing to do with you.”

Jordan withdrew his arm from around Asher’s body and shifted a few inches away on the couch. “We can stop. I don’t wanna do something you’re not okay with. But I think we should jerk off together.”

“Oh you do?” Asher answered with a smirk and a forced chuckle.

“Yeah.” Jordan gave him a look that was half-pleading, half-playful. “C’mon man, we don’t have anything to lose. It’s cumming. It’s _gonna_ feel nice. And we’re both horny.”

Asher took a moment to consider Jordan’s point.

Fuck it. He arched his hips and pushed his pants down his thighs and over his knees, letting them pool at his ankles. He didn’t need to look to know Jordan was leering at him, and maybe he just didn’t care, or maybe he did and that was _why_ he stroked himself a few times and teased his glans through his underwear.

A flash of movement drew his eye as Jordan tucked the waistband of his shorts under his balls and let his erection wave in the open air. Asher whipped his head away. It felt really weird looking right at Jordan’s hard cock, like he was seeing it by accident and invading his privacy even though he definitely wasn’t. 

“You can look as much as you want.” Jordan’s voice was as carefully neutral as Asher had ever heard it as he spread his thighs and leaned back, hanging his arms behind the couch.

Asher looked. It satisfied a curiosity he didn’t know he had about Jordan’s size and general appearance. But it was just a dick. The most interesting aspect was that Jordan was uncut and his dickhead looked like it was wearing a turtleneck. 

“Can I see yours?” Jordan asked, nodding with his chin at Asher’s tented crotch.

Asher smirked and suppressed a laugh. It felt like they were suddenly in their early teens again, in a game of _I’ll show you mine, if you show me yours._ They had never done that when they were kids. Asher probably would have been cool with it then. It felt weird now, but he had pretty much decided he was going to jerk off, and it wasn’t like he could to do that without getting his cock out. He didn’t over-think it, just hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his trunks and tucked it under his balls like Jordan had done.

Jordan gave an open-mouthed smile and leaned forward, eying Asher’s manhood with a lot more unrestrained excitement than Asher had expected. A little glow of pride warmed Asher’s cheeks…until Jordan frowned and sat back.

“What?” 

Jordan shrugged, his erection bobbing. “Nothing.”

“No, tell me.” Asher studied his own package. It seemed okay.

“Well” –Jordan shrugged again– “I guess I just thought it’d be bigger.”

“What?!” 

“I dunno, I guess I just had it built up in my head that you’d have this massive porn dick.”

Asher huffed and pulled his trunks back up.

“No!” Jordan sat up and gripped Asher’s shoulder, massaging it with his thumb and fingers. “It’s a nice dick. I like it.” His eyes widened and he looked uncertain for a moment as he stared off into the middle distance, but then nodded and glanced back at Asher’s crotch. “Yeah. Yeah, I like it. Please take it back out. I wanna look at it some more.”

Asher hesitated, his hands hovering over his waist. He felt embarrassed, proud, and confused all at the same time. Weirdly his erection was not going down. 

“Fuck, that’s hot. It twitched.”

Asher’s cheeks warmed. It had.

“Take it out again,” Jordan pleaded. “I still need to work through some stuff in my head. Plus get off!”

“Fine.” Asher thrust the front of his trunks down and retucked them under his balls. “But I thought you said you didn’t watch gay porn?”

“Huh?” Jordan looked up, his brow furrowed, but it didn’t take long for him to drop his gaze back to Asher’s crotch. “I don’t.”

Asher flinched as Jordan wrapped his hand around his own dick and started stroking it. Damn. So _this_ was happening. Jordan was staring at Asher’s cock and jerking off to it. “You said you thought I had a massive porn dick. But like, how would you know if you haven’t been looking at guys in porn?”

“Tah.” Jordan waved his non-jerking hand dismissively. “Everyone’s seen massive porn dicks.”

Asher could concede that point. He had seen massive porn dicks before too. And yeah, he knew he didn’t have one, but– 

“It’s just as big as yours.”

“What?” Jordan stopped stroking and looked as Asher curiously.

“Our dicks.” Asher motioned between them. “They’re about the same size.”

“ _Whaaat?_ ” Jordan laughed and shook his head. “Dude, no they’re not. I like your dick. Honestly. But mine’s way bigger.”

“Uh no, it’s not.” Asher outright stared at Jordan’s erection, making sure he wasn’t crazy. Nope. He gestured at it. “Look.”

Jordan quit stroking and took his hand away. He gestured at his dick too. “Yeah, look.”

Asher looked between their erections, then up at Jordan’s face. “Are we not seeing the same thing?”

Jordan grumbled and got on his knees on the couch. “C’mere, we’ll compare them side-by-side.”

Asher didn’t even hesitate, just kicked out of his pants before kneeling next to Jordan and thrusting his hips out. He had a point to prove. “See.”

“No, wait. My shirt’s in the way. It’s covering a buncha my shaft.” Jordan yanked it over his head and tossed it on the floor, winding his other arm around Asher’s waist and pressing their hips and thighs closer together. “Now look.”

Asher huffed. His own shirt really was in the way. He shook Jordan’s arm off and tugged the sleeveless tee over his head. “Look again.”

“Holy shit.” Jordan returned his arm to Asher’s waist and bucked forward, fucking the empty air. “You’re right. It must have been the angle before.”

“I guess.” Asher shrugged and studied them side-by-side. Jordan was a _little_ bit longer, maybe half an inch, but Asher was a little bit wider. They both sported shaved pelvises in the early stages of regrowth and big, heavy balls spilling over snug waistbands.

“God, this is so hot,” Jordan whispered, tightening his grip on Asher’s waist, his fingers pressing into the hard muscle at the side of Asher’s abdomen as he resumed stroking himself with his other hand.

Asher didn’t say anything, but he had been looking at Jordan’s hard dick for awhile now, and it wasn’t as unsettling as it had been. Jordan’s arm around him, even the sensation of their bare hips pressed together, was starting to feel familiar too – and Jordan had been right the other day: there was something to be said for simple human touch.

“Stroke, Ash,” Jordan whispered before letting out a deep sigh. “It feels really good.”

Asher held his cock and gave it a light stroke as he watched the foreskin glide up and down Jordan’s dark, glistening cockhead.

“I usually use lube,” he whispered, stroking himself with more intent. It did feel really good, almost like he was picking up right where he had left off a couple hours ago.

“You wanna go get some?” Jordan tapped his finger against his own drooling tip. “I like lube too. I only leak this much when I’m really worked up.”

“It’s okay. _Uhhhh._ ” Asher bit his lip and leaned into Jordan, his shoulder pressed between them as he stroked with his other hand. “Pretty sure I can finish without it.”

“Oh yeah, you definitely can,” Jordan whispered, tracing his fingers over Asher’s oblique. “I can hear it in your voice. You’re gonna cum so good, Ash.”

“Ahhh, ohh.” Asher finally wrapped his other arm around Jordan’s back, removing what little distance remained between their bodies and clinging to him as his hand became a blur on his cock. “It feels really good, bro. _Ooh._ Really good.”

“Uh-huh. Yeah. Oh, that’s it.” Jordan quit jerking and snapped his hips instead, sliding against Asher’s side as he fucked into his hand – _hard._ A string of precum spurted out, drooled a few times, then snapped loose and flew a few feet in front of them with the force of Jordan’s wild thrusts.

“Fuck man.”

“You think you can shoot further than that, bro?” Jordan teased, patting Asher’s hip and fucking staring at his cock.

Asher let out a long moan, unable to hold it back as he eyed the mark and realized he was about to find out. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m gonna cum really hard, and really far.” 

“Do it.” Jordan resumed wanking at breakneck speed, his arm a vise around Asher’s waist. “Fucking cum, Ash!”

“I’m fucking gonna!” Asher shouted, clutching Jordan just as tight as he hit the edge and hung there for a few blissful strokes.

“Me too!” Jordan shouted. “Cum. Cum now!”

“Aaahhh!” Asher sprayed his load all over the floor in front of the couch at the same instant that Jordan let loose in long, thick ropes. 

“Oh yeah! Oh yeah, shoot it!” Jordan’s hand slid back on Asher’s hip, almost but not quite on his ass as he urged him on. “Harder Ash, shoot harder!”

Asher flexed his pelvic muscles and leaned in to the intense contractions, letting them wash over him as he fired another long stream. 

Jordan was firing a powerful final volley of his own, before sagging against Asher’s body and milking out his final few drops on the edge of the couch cushion.

Asher’s cock wilted fast as he stared at the mess and struggled to comprehend what had just happened and how he felt about it.

Jordan gave him a sideways hug and sat back on the couch, tugging Asher with him. 

“Damn, that was so good.” He laid his head on Asher’s shoulder.

Asher pulled his underwear up and shoved at Jordan until he sat up at his own. “That was…I don’t…I mean it felt good, but–”

“Shush.” Jordan turned his head and nuzzled against Asher’s shoulder one last time. “Leave it at ‘it felt good’ and don’t get lost in your head.”

“Who’s gonna clean this up?”

Jordan laughed. “I will.”

“Mine too?”

Jordan grinned and laughed harder. “Dude, I can’t even tell yours from mine.” 

Asher surveyed the cummy carnage. Their streams had crossed, and it was pretty hard to tell who had shot what. 

“Okay, um, I’m gonna shower,” Asher answered as he stood and snagged his discarded shirt and chinos from the floor beside the couch. Thank god they hadn’t been in the line of fire.

“I really enjoyed this.”

“Cool,” Asher said as he dropped his eyes and hustled out the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! 
> 
> Feedback is greatly appreciated!


	5. Softly and Slowly

Asher’s thoughts raced as he stood by the door in his room, listening intently for any sign that Jordan was up and moving around. It was morning and Asher hadn’t left his room since yesterday afternoon. He had even skipped dinner and pretended to be asleep when Jordan had knocked. He hadn’t been hungry and, even now, twelve hours later, still wasn’t. He needed to go for a run, needed to clear his head, needed to burn some of the desperate, nervous energy coiled around his chest.

He stuffed a mask into his pocket in case he stopped somewhere and grabbed his phone off his desk before whisking the door open and hustling down the hall. He snagged his keys off the rack just as Jordan’s bedroom door creaked open back up the hallway. Jordan called out to him, but he was already slamming the front door shut behind him. Plausible deniability. Jordan hadn’t caught him in time. He already had his earbuds in. He was too focused on planning his run to hear him.

Asher ran. Down the sidewalk and around the block, up an embankment and into another neighborhood, across a footbridge and into a park. He ran until the burn in his chest and the wet, clammy sensation on his skin had nothing to do with Jordan. He ran until he ended up on a tree-lined trail with a pair of guys and a shaggy brown dog walking toward him. 

He stopped and stepped off the path, trying to give them the mandated six feet of space to pass.

Something twisted in his gut as he noted the way they walked side-by-side, practically shoulder-to-shoulder, the way the taller one looked at the shorter one, the way they laughed and leaned into each other. As they passed, the shorter guy glanced in his direction and they made eye contact.

“Are you gay?” 

Asher hadn’t meant to blurt that out, hadn’t meant to make it sound like an accusation.

The smile faded from the guy’s lips and his posture stiffened. “Yeah.”

The nervous energy coiled more tightly around Asher’s chest and his fingers twitched. He gave in to the urge to ball them into fists.

“Come on,” the taller guy muttered, urging the shorter one to keep walking with a hand on his back. He held his ground and scowled at Asher.

“You got a problem with that?”

“No.” Asher took a deep breath, trying to calm down. “I just don’t see why you need to be _here._ ”

The guy’s eyes narrowed and his scowl deepened. “Seriously? You ‘don’t care what we do in private’” –he curled his fingers into quote marks– “’but why do we have to flaunt it in your face?’”

“I didn’t say that.” Asher resisted the impulse to step closer, to crowd into their space. None of them were wearing masks. It wouldn’t have been safe. And maybe…maybe he was getting a little too worked up.

“Do you also think a ‘woman’s place is in the kitchen?’” The guy laughed, sharp and derisive. “Or that ‘white privilege isn’t a thing?’”

“Fuck you. You don’t know anything about me.”

“Let’s go,” the taller guy ground out, nudging the other guy forward.

“I know you think you’re real edgy with your regressive attitude.” 

“Fuck. YOU.” 

“You sure say that a lot,” he answered with a smirk and a wink before turning and continuing down the trail.

Asher stared them down as they walked away. How could they think he was a homophobe? Or a misogynist? Or a _racist?_ He wanted to scream at them. He wanted to chase them down and make them take it back. 

He unclenched his fists and sprinted back onto the path in the opposite direction. Stupid gay guys – and he didn’t mean that in a homophobic way, just…why did he have to run into _gay_ guys on his run this morning? And why did that one guy have to be such a raging tool?

He ran harder, determined to outrun his racing thoughts. It was all ridiculous. He was freaking out over nothing. 

So what if he and Jordan had jerked off together? It didn’t mean anything. He still liked girls. Besides he _wasn’t_ homophobic, so having a sexual experience with another guy _wasn’t_ a big deal. Lots of people experimented, and it was nobody’s business but his and Jordan’s. It wasn’t like he and Jordan were going to get a dog and go jogging together. Sure, sometimes they did in fact jog together, but they wouldn’t do it with a _dog._

He found it difficult to breathe as he mentally replayed the events of the prior afternoon. But that was from the run. He was out of shape. Hadn’t been training hard enough since the quarantine started. That was the only reason for his pounding heart and shortness of breath. That and anger. He was still angry about the confrontation with that douchebag, angry that guy had jumped to so many absurd conclusions about him.

He reflected on the hostile encounter as he followed the trail out of the park and headed back toward his neighborhood. He could sort of see why the guy had thought he was being homophobic. 

A cold weight settled in his stomach and his cheeks burned with a new flush of heat. He had been kind of a dick. They didn’t know him and suddenly he was confronting them about being gay and saying they shouldn’t be themselves around him for what would have been a few fleeting seconds as they walked by.

_Fuck._

He ran harder, trying to ignore the recriminations in his head telling him he always did this, always screwed up and said or did the wrong thing before having to make it right. And how was even supposed to make it right this time? It wasn’t like he could apologize to them.

His phone buzzed. He slowed to check it.

Jordan: _So you’re ignoring me now ?_

He took a deep breath and tapped out a response. Maybe he didn’t have to mess things up with Jordan. Maybe he could go straight to the part where he got his shit together and behaved like a decent person.

Asher: _Nah bro. Not at all. Looking forward to hanging out when I get home._

A few seconds later he added a second text.

Asher: _You want anything while I’m out?_

Twenty minutes later, Asher was handing Jordan a watermelon and strawberry smoothie before heading to the kitchen to put his own power greens smoothie in the fridge.

“I’m gonna go shower.”

“Cool.” Jordan took a slurp from his straw. “I’ll make us some brunch.”

Asher cleared his throat and nodded. Just two roommates having brunch together. Nothing gay about that. “Thanks.”

Jordan brushed his hand over Asher’s shoulder as he stepped around him. “Yeah thanks.” His eyes softened and his face filled with vulnerability. “For the smoothie.” He took another slurp. “It’s really good.”

Asher smiled and looked away as he clapped Jordan’s shoulder. “Sure, man. Anytime.”

Asher had a missed called from his dad when he got out of the shower. He pulled on a pair of shorts and left the towel draped around his neck as he called him back.

“Huh’lo,” Dad mumbled as he answered on what must have been the final ring before the call would have gone to voicemail. 

“You called?”

“No. _You_ called.” Dad’s tone was laced with irritation and Asher recognized the drunken cadence.

“You called me first, Dad.” Asher sighed. “Like ten minutes ago.”

“No, I didn’t.”

Asher ran a hand through his damp bangs and resisted the urge to argue. It didn’t matter. “So, you okay?” 

Dad was silent for a few seconds before answering. “I-I’m divorced and…”

“Yeah,” Asher answered quietly. 

“Fine.” His tone became rough and dismissive. “I’m fine. Don’t need anything. Don’t need anybody botherin’ me.”

“Have you eaten today?”

“Martini olives count?” Dad let out a gruff laugh.

“Martinis? You don’t usually drink martinis.”

“Had a lotta vermoose left…ver– vermouth left. Not much else.”

Asher twisted the towel around his arm and stared at the wall by his desk. “Do you have groceries?”

“I’ll get some. Some point.”

Asher closed his eyes and swallowed. “I’ll order you some.”

“Don’t need to. I–”

“Just try to be awake when they’re delivered.” Asher hung up and flung the towel on his bed. He looked up as there was a knock on his closed bedroom door.

He hesitated but called out for Jordan to enter. 

Jordan’s eyes lit up and lingered on Asher’s chest and torso as he leaned in the doorway. His lips curled into a smirk, but it faded when he finally lifted his gaze to Asher’s face.

“What’s wrong?”

Asher grunted and returned his attention to his phone as he opened the Instacart app. “My dad’s not eating.”

“Like, ‘cause he’s sick?”

“’Cause he’s drunk.”

“Oh.”

“And he doesn’t have any groceries.” Asher rolled his eyes. “Unless we count martini olives.”

Jordan scrunched his face and shook his head. “I don’t think we should.”

Asher sighed. “So I’m gonna have something delivered.”

“That’s nice of ya, man.”

Asher shrugged one shoulder. What was he supposed to do, let his dad starve?

Jordan left the doorway and sank onto Asher’s bed. “Brunch is ready.”

“Cool.” Asher forced a smile for his friend’s sake. He was hungry now, and he appreciated Jordan cooking for him. “I’ll try to hurry.”

“No rush, it’s still in the skillet.” He eyed Asher’s stomach and the bulge in his shorts. “I can reheat.”

Asher frowned and sat on the edge of his bed, hunching forward for more coverage. “Glad you’re not bored waiting.”

Jordan grinned and shook his head. “Not bored at all.”

Asher snickered and added a loaf of bread to his dad’s order. He didn’t entirely mind the compliment, even if Jordan’s open interest and rapt attention were a little unnerving. 

They fell silent as Asher finished shopping and Jordan had the decency not to outright stare.

“Fuck,” Asher muttered as his phone buzzed with rejection.

“What?”

“My card didn’t go through.” His face burned and anxiety skittered up the back of his neck. “Maybe it’s a security feature or something.”

“Or maybe you’re out of money,” Jordan suggested helpfully.

Asher shot him a glare.

“You know,” –Jordan raised his hands and leaned back– “’cause your dad’s furloughed at his new job.”

Asher clenched his jaw and switched to his banking app.

“And it’s not like you guys have much saved up since he was out of work for so long.”

Asher cut him another look as he held his thumb over the sensor to log in.

“I mean…I’m just sayin’.”

“FUCK.” Asher blinked at the negative balance in his checking account.

Jordan looked over his shoulder and nodded. “You see.”

Asher shoved him away and tossed the phone on the bed. “Fuck, fuck, _FUCK._ ” He punched his pillow.

“It’s okay.” Jordan dropped a hand on his shoulder.

Asher flinched away. “How the fuck is this okay?”

“I’ll pay. Hold on.” Jordan was already up and headed for his room.

“No, wait,” Asher called after him as he disappeared into the hallway. He groaned and picked his phone back up, racking his brain for other options. He could call his mom.

“Here.” Jordan thrust a credit card at him as he re-entered the room.

“No, it’s fine, I…” Asher sighed and accepted the card. A cart full of groceries wasn’t exactly going to break the Baker family, and he just wanted to make sure his dad had food coming; then he could deal with figuring out how to restore his own finances. “Thank you.”

“Sure.” Jordan wound an arm around him and tugged him down onto the bed. Asher let him, used to how touchy-feely Jordan was being.

“I should have checked,” Asher mumbled as he keyed in the card number. “I-I didn’t wanna know. It was easier to just assume Dad was still putting money in my account.”

“Yeah, I get that.”

Asher snorted. “Hell, for all I know he still has money and he’s just too drunk to think about doing a transfer.”

“Maybe,” Jordan said cheerfully as he patted Asher’s back.

“I’m sure my mom’ll help.” Asher didn’t look at Jordan as he handed the card back and finalized the order.

“Of course.”

Asher took a trembling breath, his throat closing as the reality of the situation bore down on him.

“It’s okay.” Jordan rubbed his neck.

Asher closed his eyes and sagged into the touch. “Last time…”

“This isn’t like last time,” Jordan answered, squeezing the muscles threatening to knot at the base of Asher’s neck.

“I ended up homeless.” Asher looked up to gauge Jordan’s reaction. He seemed unfazed. It wasn’t news to him of course, but they had never discussed it. “I was living in my car.”

“That won’t happen again,” Jordan said softly.

“It could.”

“It won’t,” Jordan promised, holding eye contact.

Asher nodded and didn’t resist as Jordan guided him against his chest. Hell, maybe Asher was the one who initiated the embrace. All he knew was that Jordan smelled faintly of Dial body wash and his t-shirt was soft against Asher’s face, even if his chest was hard and solid beneath it. 

“It’s okay, Ash. You don’t have anything to worry about.” Jordan gave him a tight squeeze and nudged the top of his head with his chin.

Asher took a deep breath, finding he liked Dial body wash more than he thought as he let the tension ease out of him. “Sorry.”

“Sshh, for what?”

For losing his composure. For making his problems Jordan’s problems. For violating the implicit terms of their friendship by getting too emotional.

“You have nothing to apologize for.”

Asher shrugged. That wasn’t true whether they were talking about right now or the last three years. He sat up, meaning to break the awkwardness by suggesting they go eat.

He stopped as Jordan stared into his eyes with an intensity that was terrifying.

There was a subtle question in his gaze, a hesitation before he slowly leaned forward.

Asher froze, his mind reeling with answers. _No. Stop. Maybe. I don’t know. Fine. Okay. Yes._

Jordan’s lips brushed his just as he landed on his answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! 
> 
> Feedback is greatly appreciated!


	6. On and Off

Jordan stared into his eyes with an intensity that was terrifying.

There was a subtle question in his gaze, a hesitation before he slowly leaned forward.

Asher froze, his mind reeling with answers. _No. Stop. Maybe. I don’t know. Fine. Okay. Yes._

Jordan’s lips brushed his just as he landed on his answer.

His eyes fluttered closed and conscious thought melted away as he gave himself over to the kiss, to the soft heat pressing against his mouth, to the firm hand cupping the side of his head, to the dense muscles beneath his fingers as they pressed against Jordan’s chest. 

Jordan sighed into his mouth and he sighed back. A flick of tongue was all it took to break the spell.

Asher pulled back, his lips tingling where Jordan had licked them.

“I don’t know why I…” Asher shook his head, unsure what he even wanted to say. “We shouldn’t…”

Jordan wasn’t looking at him, at least not his eyes, he was staring at his mouth as his thumb worked a soothing circuit over Asher’s bare shoulder.

Aww fuck it.

Asher surged forward and sealed his mouth over Jordan’s, this time taking the initiative himself to swipe his tongue across Jordan’s lips. Jordan opened for him, and Asher tilted his head as they deepened the kiss, as their tongues clashed and hums and moans tumbled from their throats.

Jordan’s hands were all over him, one exploring his back, the other caressing his chest. Asher returned the exploration, albeit more tentatively as he rubbed Jordan’s pecs through his t-shirt.

This time it was Jordan who broke the kiss, and Asher surprised himself by groaning in protest, but the break proved fleeting as Jordan tugged his shirt over his head before crashing their mouths back together.

Asher barely had a chance to glimpse Jordan’s torso before they were once again making out, but now with his fingers and palms running across warm, exposed flesh and sinewy muscle. 

And Jordan was playing with one of Asher’s nipples, tweaking and pinching it, making him whimper and moan harder into his mouth.

Asher pulled away, struggling to compose himself. “We should–” 

“Lay down,” Jordan finished, gripping Asher’s shoulders and pushing him onto the bed.

“I was gonna say stop,” Asher answered, pressing his palm to Jordan’s chest as he moved to lie on top of him.

Jordan frowned and sat back. “Do you really want to?”

Asher shrugged. He had no idea what he wanted, but stopping to think about it seemed like a good idea.

“How ‘bout if we keep our shorts on?” Jordan said, rubbing the tent in his with the heel of his hand.

“What?” Asher furrowed his brow and glanced at his own crotch. He wasn’t hard.

“We can keep our shorts on while we make out if you’d be more comfortable.”

“Uh, okay.”

Jordan grinned and stretched out over Asher again, covering Asher’s body with his own. 

Asher blinked up at him. He hadn’t meant _okay_ as permission…but he hadn’t really _not_ meant it as permission either.

Jordan tilted his head and leaned back as far as he could without actually getting up. “Are we good to keep going?”

Asher shrugged again, hyper-aware of Jordan’s hips against his own, of the steely weight of Jordan’s erection heavy against his own fluttering, gradually swelling manhood. “I dunno.”

Jordan’s brow creased with disappointment, but he nodded. “Okay, we’ll stop.”

“No, I…” Asher clutched Jordan’s bicep and arched his hips against Jordan’s. _FUCK._ It felt good. And Asher’s thoughts _weren’t_ whirling with all the implications. “I guess if we keep our shorts on.”

Jordan smirked at him, and he smirked back.

Asher’s mouth was already open as Jordan resumed their messy make out session tongue first. He moaned and wedged his own tongue through Jordan’s lips, flicking his teeth. This was the kind of deep, aggressive kissing it would have normally taken Asher all evening to work up to, but Jordan was trying to lick the back of his throat and Asher…Asher was really into it based on the way he had clamped his legs around Jordan’s thighs, based on the way he was now rock hard and quivering as Jordan thrust against him.

He forgot about their mouths. All he could feel was Jordan’s cock against his own. Jordan was quivering and throbbing too. There were only two thin layers of fabric between them – like usual these days neither of them were wearing underwear.

Jordan grunted and gripped Asher’s shoulder harder as he bucked and thrust on Asher’s cock. Oh shit, he was _trying_ to get off. Asher was trying not to. He had never cum in his pants dry humping with one of his girlfriends before, and the prospect of doing it now filled him with dread.

He turned his head and leaned back, gasping for air as he broke the kiss. As soon as he could breathe, he would call this off.

But his body seemed to have other plans as he slid lower on the bed for leverage and rabbited his hips, bucking against Jordan’s erection.

“ _Fuck,_ ” Jordan gasped, raking his eyes over Asher’s torso as he ran his hands across Asher’s chest, biceps, and collarbone. He wasn’t thrusting now, just slowly rocking his hips and staying in constant contact with Asher’s crotch as Asher took over driving them toward the precipice. “You’re so damn hot, Ash.”

Asher licked his tingling lips, staring at Jordan’s lust-drunk face and fully prepared to return the compliment. 

He didn’t get the chance as Jordan reignited their kiss. 

Asher’s cock ached. It ached from arousal and from the dry friction and sustained pressure of dry humping Jordan’s through their shorts. It hurt and they should stop. And he _so_ didn’t want to stop. But he did want to fucking finish.

He licked the roof of Jordan’s mouth and wedged his hand between their bodies.

Jordan whimpered and whined, obviously not liking the intrusion until– 

“Mmmuahh!” Jordan whipped his head back, his eyes wide as Asher wrapped his hand around Jordan’s cock through his shorts and pressed it to his own. 

Asher looked away from Jordan’s face, but only so he could see for himself what he was doing, how it looked as he held their rock hard lengths together through the soft, thin fabric. Jordan’s crotch was dappled with wet spots where he had leaked…and so was Asher’s. And maybe Jordan had leaked against him or– 

He bucked against Jordan’s cock, gripping it close to ensure maximum contact. Yep, _he_ was leaking too, which he hardly ever did. 

He flinched as Jordan got in on the action, closing his hand around the other side of their cock sandwich, his fingers tangling with Asher’s through the straining fabric as he took advantage of the added security to buck and grind with abandon.

Asher trembled and writhed against the mattress. It was fucking intense.

“Aw yeah, Ash, keep making that noise.”

Asher shuddered and jerked their cocks, noticing for the first time the hitching moan that slipped from his throat.

“I’ve listened to you make that sound so many times from my room.”

Asher closed his eyes, unable to handle the unrestrained leer Jordan was giving him, but making no effort to censor his moans and gasps as he and Jordan fumbled through their shorts, stroking and humping with no semblance of a rhythm and utterly beyond caring. 

“Feels so good,” Jordan whispered, his voice low and resonant.

“Y-y-yeah. Uhn, ahh, y-yeah!”

“You gonna blow, Ash? You gonna cum all over my cock?”

Asher bit his lip and nodded, his eyes clenched shut.

“Do it.” Jordan throbbed hard through his shorts as he untangled their fingers. “Shoot that big load in my hand.”

Asher yelped as Jordan tickled his glans through the wet cotton clinging to it. “Oh my _gahhhh–_ ”

Silky warmth crashed over Asher as his cock quaked and erupted, flooding his shorts and leaving him shaking on the bed. He didn’t stop shaking until the tremors pulsing through his groin and abdomen had subsided, until he felt Jordan shifting around on his knees without getting up.

He cracked open his eyes and inwardly groaned at the mess he had made of the front of their shorts and the creamy handful cupped in Jordan’s palm.

“What are you–”

Asher gaped as Jordan tugged the elastic band of his shorts away from his stomach and plunged his cum-filled hand inside. 

“Ohh yeah.” Jordan scrunched up his face as he jerked himself. “It’s so fucking _thick_ and _hot._ ”

Asher opened his mouth but closed it again, watching transfixed as Jordan stroked beneath his shorts with squishing, slathering faps. 

“Oh fuck-ing _YEAH!_ ” Jordan threw his non-jerking arm into the air and canted his hips forward as globs of jizz exploded through the front of his shorts.

Asher scurried back as fast as he could, cringing as the first blast dripped on his calf. He turned his leg and wiped it on the duvet. Jordan was dribbling more all over the bed anyway…

He studied Jordan’s blissed out face as he gradually came down from his high, as they both did.

“That was incredible.”

Asher let out a deep sigh and laid his head against his pillow, his limbs heavy and relaxed. “Yeah. That was _really_ good."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Feedback is greatly appreciated! 
> 
> Happy Fourth of July to all who celebrate it!


	7. To Infinity and To Wyoming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There’s no smut in this chapter, but things will be heating up soon.

“What?” Asher frowned, his fork clinking against his plate as he caught Jordan eying him for the fifth time since they had started their late brunch. 

Jordan dropped his gaze to his own plate. “Nothin’.” 

“Jordan.”

Jordan shrugged and looked up. “It’s just…I kinda thought you’d be freaking out.”

Asher rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his damp hair. “Sorry to disappoint you.”

“Oh I’m not disappointed,” Jordan said with a grin as he pressed his knee against Asher’s under the table.

Asher cleared his throat and took a sip of orange juice.

“So I was thinking we could go to the park.” Jordan stirred his mostly melted, leftover smoothie with his straw but made no move to drink it. “Throw the football around for awhile. Maybe do some sprints.”

Asher frowned and speared the last square of his waffle with his fork. “I just showered,” he answered, dragging the crispy morsel through the remaining pool of syrup on his plate. 

“So?”

“I’d have to shower again when we get back.”

“The horror!” Jordan answered, a smirk belying the exaggerated seriousness on his face. 

“Fine.” Asher popped the syrupy bite into his mouth.

“You want the last waffle?” Jordan motioned at the nearly empty plate occupying the center of the table.

“Nah, I’m good, but thanks for making them.”

“C’mon, split it with me.” Jordan snapped it in two with his hands and dropped half onto Asher’s plate.

Asher grumbled but snatched the bottle of syrup as Jordan reached for it. He poured some onto his waffle piece and passed the bottle to Jordan. They were silent as they finished their breakfast.

“That was good,” Asher said as he stretched and leaned back from the table.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, I’m glad you pressured me into having it with you.”

Jordan froze, his smoothie raised to his mouth.

“What?” Asher tilted his head. “I’m just talkin’ about the waffle.”

Jordan cleared his throat and set down his glass. “Yeah, but I wouldn’t say I _pressured_ you. I just, uh, offered.”

Asher shrugged. “I mean, you basically didn’t give me any choice.”

Jordan’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “Ash, if you felt like you had to–”

Asher burst into laughter and tipped his chair back. “I’m just messin’ with you.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah”

“You-you’re sure?”

“Yes. I consented to the waffle.” He shrugged. “…and to the heavy petting.”

Jordan visibly relaxed as he drained the last of the smoothie Asher had brought him. “So we’re good?”

“Uh huh.” Asher sighed and glanced out the window, a weight settling in the pit of his stomach. “We’re good.”

“I knew it.” Jordan groaned and scrubbed a hand across his face. “I knew you were freaking out.”

“I’m not freaking out.”

He scoffed and motioned at Asher.

“I’m not _freaking out._ I just…I feel guilty.”

Jordan’s brow furrowed. “Like, because you think God is mad at you for sword-fighting with another dude?”

“What?” Asher snorted and shook his head. “No, of course not.”

“Because you’re worried that your dad’ll be disappointed?”

Asher frowned and side-eyed Jordan. “I wasn’t thinking about my dad at all.” 

“Hmm.” Jordan stroked his chin. “Oh, I know! Because–”

“Dude, I’ll just tell you,” Asher said with raised palms. “It’s about Liv. You’re her brother, so…what happened doesn’t seem right.”

Jordan frowned. “If you had lemme finish, that was literally gonna be my next guess.”

“Congratulations,” Asher muttered.

Jordan’s frown deepened. “You know you didn’t actually do anything wrong, right? And neither did I. You guys are broken up. She doesn’t get to tell you what to do with your dick anymore.”

Asher blinked at him. “What kind of relationship do you think we had?”

Jordan shrugged. “Look, all I’m sayin’ is you’re a free man. And none of this has anything to do with her.”

“Yeah but…it feels shady.”

“It’s seriously none of her business.” Jordan laughed. “And it’s not like I’m gonna call her up to compare notes about the taste of your jizz.”

Asher’s stomach lurched. “What?”

“What?” Jordan looked away and stood, gathering up his napkin, plate, and empty cup.

“You didn’t taste…I mean we didn’t do oral.”

“Nope.” Jordan shuffled into the kitchen.

Asher grabbed his own plate and followed him. “Wait, what did you do after you left my room?” 

Jordan didn’t look up as he set his plate in the sink and turned on the tap. “I cleaned up.”

“You didn’t shower,” Asher pointed out as he handed his dishes to Jordan.

Jordan shrugged. “Didn’t seem necessary. It was basically just jerking off.”

Asher frowned. “But my, uh, stuff was all over you.”

“Well that’s what happens when you mess around with someone. You get their _stuff_ all over you,” Jordan answered as he rinsed the syrup off Asher’s plate. “It’s not a big deal.”

“But–”

“Do we really need to continue this conversation?” 

Asher shook his head. “I guess not. I’ll go get ready for the park.”

“Sweet,” Jordan mumbled as Asher walked away.

Asher paused in the kitchen doorway and looked back. “What?”

“That we’re going to the park.” Jordan smiled innocently. “Sweet!”

“…okay then.”

* * *

They spent the next couple hours at the park doing some light one-on-one practice and general goofing around. It was almost surreal doing something so normal, something such a part of their pre-quarantine routine – especially now that it was also starting to feel normal the way Jordan stared when Asher wiped his face with the front of his shirt, or how he whistled when Asher bent down to retrieve the football. Even the eye roll and smirk Asher responded with felt borderline familiar.

On the walk home, they ordered Chinese food from Uber Eats on Jordan’s phone. It was waiting outside their door for them by the time they got back.

“I’m gonna go catch a shower,” Asher said as he hung his keys on the rack by the door.

“Nah, let’s eat first. Then shower.”

“I’m all nasty.”

Jordan sniggered and flicked his tongue across his lips.

“Dude.”

“What, I didn’t say anything?”

“Yeah, you did. You just didn’t use words.”

Jordan laughed and bumped Asher’s sweaty shoulder with his own as he set the bag of food on the table. “In that case I never shut up.”

Asher sighed. “You really don’t.”

“C’mon man, food first then shower.”

“Shower first, then food. And I’ll sit with you on the couch,” Asher countered.

Jordan shrugged. “I figured you were gonna do that anyway.”

“I’ll sit close.”

Jordan shook his head. “Still part of my plans.”

“I won’t stink.”

“Hmm.” Jordan rubbed the side of his face. “That would be a nice change for once.” 

Asher huffed and shoved him.

Jordan snickered and shoved him back. “Fine. We’ll shower first.”

“Separately,” Asher added with a stern look.

“Hey, I hadn’t even considered the alternative, but now that you mention it…”

“No!” Asher laughed and sprinted up the hallway, Jordan taking off after him and pretending to give chase. He ‘made it’ to his room and slammed the door behind him.

“Next time!” Jordan called, swatting the door.

“I’m naked now and you’re missing it!” Asher shouted, still wearing his shorts and shoes.

“Dammit!” Jordan’s voice rang with laughter as the door to his own room clicked shut across the hallway.

Asher chuckled to himself as he stripped out of his clothes for real, tossed them in the hamper, and hurried to start his shower. He didn’t want the food to get cold…or the good mood they were both in.

Less than ten minutes later he was standing by his bed, toweling off his hair and debating whether to wear shorts or pajama pants for the rest of the night. Pajamas won out, but he frowned as he dropped his towel on the bed and noticed the crusty white stains on his navy comforter. 

Ewww. He had meant to toss his bedding in the wash after his _first_ shower several hours earlier, but then he had gotten distracted by their late brunch, then it was off to the park, and now– 

“C’mon Ash! I wanna eat!” Jordan shouted as he exited his room.

“Be right there!” Asher shouted back as he balled up his comforter, careful not to touch the stains, and grabbed a pillow to yank the pillowcase off. He finished stripping the bed and hauled everything to the alcove in the hallway that housed the ancient washing machine and dryer that had come with the condo.

“Really, you’re starting a load of laundry now– Oh!”

Asher turned to find Jordan standing behind him holding a bowl. He was staring again. Asher frowned and glanced down at his own bare torso and low slung pajama pants.

“Stop being weird and acting like this is a big deal when you’ve seen me without a shirt on like a thousand times.”

Jordan flicked his tongue over his lips and openly eyed Asher’s stomach and chest. “It’s different now.”

“You figure out a setting for this.” Asher waved his hand at the annoying analogue dial. “I’m gonna go get a shirt.”

“Aww, you really don’t have to.”

Asher flipped him off as he walked away.

“Shit!” 

“What?” Asher spun back around as Jordan set his bowl on the dryer with a thunk.

Jordan hissed through his teeth and gave Asher an abashed look. “I may have gotten Chinese food on your comforter.”

“What?!”

“It’s okay,” Jordan insisted as he grabbed the Spray N Wash from the shelf over the washing machine. “You were washing it anyway. This is literally the best time it could have happened.”

Asher cringed as Jordan picked a piece of Hunan beef off his comforter and popped it in his mouth before spraying down the wet spot.

A few minutes later, Asher was pulling his bowl of Schezwan shrimp out of the microwave and ignoring Jordan as he yelled at him to hurry up.

“Fine, since you’re taking all night, I’m pickin’ the movie!”

“Whatever.” Asher tended to like the same type of movies as Jordan anyway.

“Whaddya think, _Black Panther_ or _Infinity War_?”

“Hey, you’re pickin’,” Asher said with a laugh as he plopped onto the couch beside Jordan.

“ _Infinity War_ it is.”

“Good choice.”

Asher didn’t react as Jordan scooted closer and leaned against him as the movie started. By the time they paused about halfway through to take their empty dishes to the kitchen and get drink refills, Asher had his arm around Jordan. It was more comfortable than keeping it pressed between them.

“What are you doing?” Asher asked as Jordan turned off the overhead light before reclaiming his seat.

Jordan shrugged and cozied back up to Asher on the couch. “It’s more fun to watch movies with the lights off.”

“But…”

“What? You think I’m gonna grope you in the dark?” Jordan patted Asher’s inner leg, just above the knee, and left his hand in place.

Asher glanced at his leg. His eyes hadn’t adjusted yet, and he couldn’t see Jordan’s hand, but the sensation of Jordan touching him was familiar now, and he hardly thought about it as he once again wound his arm around Jordan’s shoulders and let him settle in.

“I wouldn’t do that,” Jordan said quietly.

“I know.” Asher squeezed his shoulder. “It’s cool.”

Jordan hummed and resumed the movie. 

“No, no don’t! Don’t!” Jordan mumbled under his breath to the characters a few minutes later.

Asher snickered, but caught himself doing the same thing a few times before the movie was over. 

“Oh crud,” Asher said about an hour later as he stood and stretched, the credits rolling on screen. “I forgot to rotate my laundry. Dammit, and I wanted to go to bed soon.”

“Sorry man,” Jordan answered as he followed Asher to the washing machine. 

“What the hell?!” Asher blinked and reached into the half-filled washing machine to grab his comforter. Cold suds squished in his hand. The washer was off but it seemed to have stopped mid-cycle.

“Ahh, it’s tangled around the thingy,” Jordan said with a nod, one hand on Asher’s shoulder.

“What?” 

“The thingy.” Jordan let go of Asher and tapped the long plastic column that rose from the center of the washing machine’s drum. “I had a load of laundry do this the other day. When stuff gets tangled around the thingy it stops.”

“Fucking old-ass piece of crap!” Asher kicked the washing machine.

“Yeah.” Jordan leaned over and unwound Asher’s comforter and sheets from the _thingy._ “We gotta restart it.”

“Aaaah!” Asher growled and kicked the machine again. “And then it still has to go through the dryer. It’ll be hours before I can go to sleep.”

“C’mon man, you can hang out in my room till it’s done.”

“It’s fine. I’ll just hang out in the living room, or sit at my desk.”

“Nah, c’mon, you can lay down with me.”

“What?” 

Jordan raised his palms. “As friends. I promise not to put the moves on you.”

Asher hesitated but followed Jordan to his room. He supposed it wouldn’t be that different than watching a movie cuddled up with him.

“Can we leave the light on?”

“Sure man.” Jordan laughed and flicked the switch before motioning for Asher to sit on his bed. “I’m gonna go brush my teeth.”

“Ohh, uh, yeah me too actually,” Asher said as he backed out of the room. “Be right back.”

When he was done, he once again considered doing something on his computer at his desk as he waited instead, but between his morning run and afternoon practice session with Jordan at the park – not to mention the other stuff they had done that morning – he was worn out and just wanted to lie down. 

“I think I’m outta shape,” he grumbled to Jordan as he re-entered his room, finding him sitting in bed.

Jordan smirked at him and shook his head. “I don’t think so. And trust me, I’d know.”

Asher rolled his eyes, ignoring that heat that warmed his cheeks. “I’m exhausted, and I didn’t even do that much today.”

“I’m tired too.” Jordan pulled his sheets back and shuffled closer to the wall. “Come lay down.” He patted the bed. “We’ll watch another movie while we wait.”

Asher nodded and tried not to over-think it as he climbed into bed with Jordan. He had already pretty much agreed to this, and at least Jordan had promised not to make any moves.

Jordan turned on his TV and pulled up Netflix. “Oh!”

Asher looked up as Jordan hastily scrolled past the suggestions for _Gay and Lesbian Movies_ and _Because you watched Love, Simon._

“Dude, it’s okay.” Asher laughed and nudged Jordan’s shoulder. “I actually like that movie. I watched it with Olivia.”

“Really? I uh, hadn’t seen it until last night.” Jordan shrugged. “It was good.”

Asher hummed his agreement.

“Would you…” He scrolled back up and gave Asher a cautious look. “Be okay with watching another gay movie with me?”

“Oh.” Asher glanced at the titles, then at Jordan.

“We don’t have to if it would be weird for you.”

Asher shrugged the shoulder that was still pressed against Jordan’s. “It’s fine, I guess. I mean, why not?” He laughed. “I might learn something.”

Jordan gave him a serious nod. “Yeah. I wanna learn about this stuff.”

Asher furrowed his brow. “Gay movies?”

“Yeah, but like” –he swept his hand through the air in a wide arc– “all this stuff. LGBT culture, you know?”

“Wow.”

“What?” 

“No, I just…” Asher gave Jordan a reassuring smile and another shoulder nudge as he picked up on his anxiety. “I didn’t know you were serious about, uh, the culture.”

Jordan gave him a stiff nod, defensiveness flaring across his face before he tamped it down. “Well I’m bi, so that makes me a part of it.”

“I thought” –Asher swallowed– “bicurious?”

“I _was._ ” Jordan smirked at him. “Then we messed around and that pretty much answered my questions.”

“Just like that? I mean, we didn’t even go all the way.”

Jordan’s eyes lit up and he snickered. “Are you offering to go all the way with me so I can be sure?”

“What?! No! I just, I uh…It seems fast is all.”

Jordan shrugged. “I’m definitely into it. I _am_ sure. It’s not just you. I like dudes. _And_ girls still. So that makes me bi.”

“Well um.” Asher nodded and fought through the nervous tension tightening around his chest. “Congrats. That’s like” –he held eye contact with Jordan and gave him a broad smile– “a big deal. And it’s awesome. I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks man,” Jordan said softly.

He still looked vulnerable, so Asher went with the impulse to pull him in for a hug. What was the point of all this touchy-feely business if he couldn’t reassure his best friend when he came out? 

“I mean it, this is great,” he whispered beside Jordan’s ear.

“Thanks,” Jordan whispered back, squeezing him harder.

Asher cleared his throat and patted Jordan’s back. “Okay, so pick us out a nice gay movie to celebrate.”

Jordan laughed and punched Asher’s shoulder as they separated.

Asher did _not_ like the movie they ended up watching – _Brokeback Mountain._ He had heard of it before and Jordan assured him it was supposed to be some kind of classic, but it was awful. Depressing as hell. 

Midway through, Jordan got up to pee and insisted on turning off the light before returning to bed. Asher must have fallen asleep at some point soon after because the next thing he knew, he awoke to Jordan shuffling around. 

“Wha’ happened?” Asher mumbled, lifting his head from Jordan’s chest where he had apparently nodded off.

Jordan sniffled and tightened his grip on Asher. “Jack died and Ennis kept his shirt.”

Asher groaned. Such a depressing movie. He tilted his head back and looked up at Jordan. “Are you crying?”

“No.” Jordan grunted and turned off the television, casting them into darkness. Yep, he was definitely crying.

“Crap. I _still_ need to put my bed in the dryer.”

“Will you just sleep here tonight?” Jordan whispered, rubbing Asher’s back. It felt good, and the bed was warm and soft.

Asher yawned and nuzzled his head back against Jordan’s chest, too sleepy to be self conscious. “Mmmkay.”

Jordan pulled the blankets up and tucked them around Asher. He said something else, but Asher was already drifting off again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! 
> 
> Feedback is greatly appreciated!


	8. You Lie and I Believe You Every Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_*Please Note: This is a rough chapter for Asher, and it could be triggering to some people. Please assume any kind of content is on the table and read accordingly._ **

“Sshh, it’s okay. I gotcha.”

“I…” Asher frowned as Jordan guided him onto the bed.

“Just breathe,” Jordan whispered, climbing up behind him. “I got you.”

Asher closed his eyes and nodded, not flinching when Jordan ran a hand over his head, smoothing his hair. He needed a haircut, but that was impossible right now unless he did it himself…or let Jordan.

“It’s all gonna be okay, Ash,” Jordan whispered, winding an arm around him. “I promise.”

A flare of pain lanced through Asher’s chest. It wasn’t going to be okay. It was never going to be okay, and he had been a fool to think otherwise.

He kept his eyes closed as he nuzzled his face into Jordan’s chest. It was embarrassing, awkward, and really nice. It had been four days since he had first wound up in Jordan’s bed, and while this was the first time that he had been _back,_ things had been good between them, very good. That was one bright spot. Even while the rest of Asher’s life was going to shit, at least his friendship with Jordan was flourishing.

“You think she’ll do it?” 

Asher nodded and squeezed Jordan’s back, returning the tight embrace and trying his best to let the safe feeling of Jordan holding him soothe him. “I think so.” He coughed to hide the unexpected sob that tore from his throat. “I just don’t know if she’ll ever talk to me again.”

* * *

_Thirty Minutes Earlier_

“Dad’s in trouble.”

“Hello to you too, Asher,” his mom said with a laugh, an underlying tightness belying her anxiety. “What did he do this time?”

Asher licked his lips, ashamed on Dad’s behalf. It almost didn’t feel right telling her. They were divorced. She _would_ judge him. Asher should protect him…but then that was why he had called.

“He’s in jail.”

There was an almost inaudible gasp before she asked, “What happened?”

“He was drunk.”

“Of course.”

Asher stared out the window in his living room, barely processing the car that crept through the parking lot or the squirrels chasing each other around an elm tree behind it. Jordan squeezed his knee and shifted closer on the couch.

“He got in a fight with the neighbor, like a fist fight. It was over a newspaper, or the mail, or something stupid.” Asher had barely followed Dad’s drunken explanation when he called. All that really mattered was the net result. “Someone called the cops, and now he’s locked up.”

His mother sighed. “Well frankly, honey, that’s his problem.”

Asher clenched his jaw, his anger threatening to bubble over. Jordan’s hand on his shoulder stopped it. “It’s my problem too.”

“No, it isn’t.” Her voice was cold, resolute. “If he wants to drink himself into an early grave, we can’t stop him.”

“You can’t,” Asher answered, leaning forward on the couch and dropping his gaze to the floor between his feet. “Because you fucking abandoned him.” He swallowed. “ _Us._ ”

“Asher.”

He ignored the hurt in her voice. “You did.”

Jordan rubbed his back and squeezed his neck. 

Asher gave him a nod and tried to thank him with his eyes, unable to work up to a smile.

“I never abandoned you.”

“Really? So that time you disappeared for a year after Dad lost his job, that was what, you taking care of us?”

She swallowed and hesitated. “You know why I left. I was protecting you.”

“Bullshit!” Asher shouted as he jumped to his feet, his chest burning and his gut twisting. “You were protecting yourself.”

“He threatened to tell you–”

“I don’t care, Mom!” Asher gripped the edge of the window frame. One of the squirrels had gained the high ground on the tree. His tail shook as he barked at his rival. “So what? You were an escort when you and Dad met. Whatever. It’s weird and awkward, and I don’t like thinking about it, but I don’t fucking care.”

“I-I thought you would. I thought–”

“No. You thought your society friends would care. _You_ were ashamed. _You_ were scared of what would happen to _your_ reputation if he told people. It was never about me.”

“That’s not true, Son,” she answered softly. “I only cared about you.”

“Yeah? Did you know he fucking threw me out when I got kicked off the football team?”

“What?”

“I had to live in my car.”

“No, I-I can’t believe–”

“What? That a volatile alcoholic would make an impulsive, selfish decision?”

Her breath hitched and she let out a rattling sob. And just like that Asher’s anger crumpled into a pile of jagged shards in his stomach.

“Baby.” Her voice broke on the word. “I had no idea.”

“Yeah well…” Asher glanced at Jordan, but he avoided Asher’s eyes, staring past him at the wall instead. “Olivia helped me fix things, and it all worked out so…”

“I’m sorry.”

“Make it up to me by bailing him out.”

“What?”

“He needs someone to bail him out,” Asher repeated, allowing some of the fire to return to his tone.

His mother laughed. “I’m done bailing him out – figuratively or literally.”

“Mom, we’re in a pandemic. Jails are a fucking petri dish right now.”

“I’m not bailing him out,” her voice was firm, but as she continued it softened, “but I want to hear more about what happened to you.”

“Me?” Asher sighed and turned, half-sitting in the window and once again trying and failing to make eye contact with Jordan. 

“When you were…homeless.”

“Oh.” Asher clenched the phone and tapped into his reserves of anger. She was _going_ to bail Dad out. “I thought you wanted to know about the time I lived in my car, but I was homeless long before that.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Well I guess it started when I was around eight or nine. Remember that time Dad was passed out on the couch and threw up on me when I woke him up?”

“Asher.”

“And you told me he was sick.”

“In a manner of speaking he was.”

“Oh. Oh I see. What about the time he went on a field trip with my class and yelled at me in front of everyone at the museum?”

“He apologized, and I wasn’t even there.”

“No, you weren’t there, Mom. Just like you weren’t there when he forgot to pick me up from football practice in middle school. Over. And over. And over.”

“Nothing happened.” Her voice was tight and fragile again. “The Bakers took you home.”

“Yeah, they took me home my first day at Beverly too…and I walked in to find the two of you in the kitchen – screaming at each other.”

“We had our problems. You know that.”

“Do you remember what you said to me that day?”

“I-I’m sure I must have apologized and–”

“You promised it would never happen again.”

She swallowed. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“It happened almost every night for the next year. So no, Mom, you shouldn’t have done that.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You’re an enabler,” Asher answered calmly, “which is fine. It’s who you are. Just don’t fucking stop now. Bail Dad out of jail.”

“Ash–”

“Because if he gets the virus, whether he survives or not, _you’re_ dead to me.”

His hand trembled as he hung up. The squirrel on the tree was alone now. He had driven the other one away.

“Ash?”

Asher looked up as Jordan crossed the short space between them.

“I shouldn’t have…” He trailed off as he stared at his phone, then at Jordan.

“It’s okay. You’re gonna be okay.”

Asher’s whole body trembled as Jordan wrapped him in a tight embrace.

* * *

“You’re right. She’ll bail him out,” Jordan whispered as he rubbed Asher’s back, his knee slotting between Asher’s on the bed. “And she’ll apologize to you. Everything will be fine.”

“I don’t know,” Asher mumbled, leaning back from Jordan’s chest so he could look up at him. “Maybe she’ll just disappear for another year…or more. Maybe I’ll never hear from her again.”

“That’s not gonna happen,” Jordan whispered as he curled his knuckle beneath Asher’s chin and tilted his head up.

Asher’s mouth parted in surprise and he looked away as he realized what Jordan meant to do, as he felt the heat of Jordan’s gaze on his lips. “I should go to my room.”

“No, you should stay here,” Jordan whispered as he gripped Asher’s shoulder and rolled him onto his back on the bed.

“I–”

“You shouldn’t be alone right now.”

Shards of ice coursed through Asher’s veins at the comment. He was alone, so alone. He couldn’t talk to his parents. He couldn’t see his friends – Olivia and Layla were three thousand miles away and JJ, Spencer, and the others might as well have been just as far thanks to the damn quarantine. But at least Jordan was–

“I’m here,” he whispered, trailing his hand from Asher’s shoulder to his chest. “I got you, bro.”

“I just don’t know if…” Asher sighed, his chest fluttering beneath Jordan’s fingers. He didn’t know anything where Jordan was concerned – not what was happening, not what he _wanted_ to happen, not what any of it meant.

“Sshh, stop thinking,” Jordan whispered as he played with the hem of Asher’s shirt with his other hand.

Asher glanced down, watched as Jordan’s fingers snaked beneath the fabric and grazed his skin. He drew a sharp breath. Jordan’s fingertips were warm and rough.

“I’m gonna take your shirt off, okay?” 

Asher didn’t say anything, just blinked up at Jordan until his line of sight was disturbed by the shirt. He raised his arms and allowed Jordan to toss it away. He let his head fall back against the pillow as Jordan shucked his own shirt over his head and dropped it on the floor beside the bed with Asher’s.

“That’s better right?” Jordan trailed one hand up his own stomach and chest as his eyes completed a similar circuit on Asher’s torso.

“I don’t know,” Asher whispered, eying Jordan’s pecs and trying to figure out what, if anything, he felt.

“It is,” Jordan assured him, clutching Asher’s side and sliding his thumb along Asher’s abdomen. “It’ll take your mind off stuff.”

A queasy weight settled in Asher’s stomach as Jordan played with his navel, and Asher wasn’t sure if it was the same anxiety and distress about his parents, or if it was something new.

“You’re so fucking hot, Ash.”

That felt good to hear. He sighed and closed his eyes, blocking everything else out and focusing solely on the sensation of being touched and appreciated. 

Jordan made him feel _very_ appreciated as he took his time running his hands all over Asher’s upper body, interspersing the massage with commentary about which parts of Asher he liked best.

Asher opened his eyes at the unmistakable sound of a zipper. Jordan had worn jeans that day, _had_ being the key word. 

“What are you doing?”

“Taking my pants off,” Jordan answered with utter casual confidence. “Let’s get yours off next.”

“What?!” Asher sat up and gripped Jordan’s hands as he hooked his fingers into Asher’s waistband, his _only_ waistband. He wasn’t wearing underwear.

“C’mon, Ash, just lay back and let me make you feel good.”

“How?”

“I’m gonna suck your cock.”

“I…” Asher licked his lips and slowly eased back into a supine position. 

“Is that a yes?” Jordan asked, his knuckles rubbing Asher’s hips beneath his waistband.

“Yeah.” Asher closed his eyes and nodded, completely unsure if he wanted what Jordan was offering, only that the massage and attention had felt good and had distracted him from his problems. 

“Lift your butt,” Jordan requested as he tugged Asher’s shorts down.

Asher was squirming anyway as Jordan exposed him, so it was easy to squirm up off the bed and comply.

Jordan hummed and breathed audibly as he yanked the shorts off Asher’s legs, his gaze never fully leaving Asher’s crotch.

“I’m not hard,” Asher mumbled, staring at his own limp dick as the cold, tight snarl of anxiety twisted in his stomach. His manhood looked small like this, and Jordan had already been critical of his size once when he had been at full mast.

“You will be,” Jordan said with a smirk as he lifted Asher’s soft dick between his thumb and forefinger.

Holy fuck! Jordan was holding his dick.

“And I’m kinda glad you’re not. This way I can work up to having an erection in my mouth.”

“Why don’t we just–”

Asher gaped as Jordan leaned over and took him fully into his mouth – his hot, wet mouth. Asher grunted and leaned back on his elbows, his mind still racing to catch up to the sensations. 

“Nice!” Jordan raised his head and grinned at Asher’s dick, then his face. “You went from shriveled to chubbed up really fast, dude.”

Asher shrugged one shoulder and avoided Jordan’s eyes. It was weird making eye contact with him while he was hunched between Asher’s legs and playing with his – admittedly yes – swelling dick. 

“You gonna keep growing out your pubes?” Jordan asked as he ran his pinky through the close-cropped dark curls covering Asher’s pelvis, his index finger and thumb teasing Asher’s glans.

Asher shivered and gasped. That was intense. 

“Huh?”

“Huh?” Asher asked.

“Pubes?” He twirled a short clump around his pinky.

“Oh, uh…I dunno.” Asher’s cheeks burned. It would have been awkward enough discussing his grooming practices as a general topic, never mind with Jordan actively _evaluating_ him. “With quarantine I’ve just, uh, left stuff alone lately.”

“Yeah, me too.” Jordan smiled at him and scratched his pinky across Asher’s pelvis. “You should keep going for now. I wanna see you with a full bush before I decide.”

Asher huffed and glared at him. “I don’t think it’s your decision.”

Jordan shrugged. “Nah, I guess not. But if you want my input, as like your only sexual partner right now, there it is.”

Asher was still blinking and trying to make sense of the fact that Jordan had just referred to himself as Asher’s only sexual partner, and that he was technically correct, when Jordan once again swallowed his cock.

“Oh god!” Asher clutched Jordan’s head, noting how different his hair felt to the longer, softer tresses that covered Olivia’s and Layla’s scalps. 

Jordan gagged and sputtered, but sucked harder and deeper, jerking the base of Asher’s cock with one hand and rubbing his chest with the other.

“You can slow down,” Asher said, loosening his grip on Jordan’s head and letting go with one hand. He opted to cover Jordan’s fingers with his own on his chest. Jordan was getting a little rough with his nipple, and he…maybe liked it, maybe didn’t, but wanted some semblance of control regardless.

Jordan wasn’t slowing down. He slurped and gagged, the harsh pressure of his teeth an omnipresent threat even shrouded as they were by his lips. He basically sucked at this – but it was a vigorous, hard sucking, and the satisfied grunts he released between gags left no doubt that he was enjoying himself. 

“Dude.” Asher’s head dropped back and he bucked his hips, grinding the head of his cock against the warm, silky wet back of Jordan’s throat.

Jordan gagged again and Asher tried to hold back his thrusts. He _tried._

“I– Ooh. I haven’t, uhnn– long time and. Oh my god!” Asher closed his eyes and fought to hold back a stream of moans. 

Jordan curled his fingers around Asher’s on Asher’s pec and gave them a squeeze.

Asher took it as a green light and let out a string of gasping expletives as he twisted and writhed in Jordan’s mouth. 

“I’m cumming! Oh oh! I’m cumming! Auhhunnn!”

Asher arched off the bed, and Jordan clutched his ass as he unloaded in Jordan’s mouth, the majority of his cum dribbling from Jordan’s lips and running down his shaft and balls. 

“Oh fuck!” Asher let out a long, deep sigh as he let the orgasm roll over him, making his brain fuzzy and his skin flushed. “ _Fuuuuck!_ ”

Jordan was coughing and gagging by the time it was over, his eyes filled with tears.

“You okay?” Asher asked as Jordan sat up on his knees.

Jordan gave him a thumbs up, still choking as he wiped Asher’s cum off his mouth and chin.

“Do you have a towel or…” Asher trailed off as Jordan resumed fondling him with one hand and began jerking himself off with the other.

“You wanna help?” Jordan asked, clutching his cock and giving him a desperate look.

“Um…okay,” Asher answered because he kind of had to. He took Jordan’s erection in hand with trembling fingers, doing his best to stay chill about the fact that he had never touched another guy like this and it felt weird as hell. Weirder still was that Jordan kept knee-walking closer and closer on the bed, until Asher had to _let go_ or his wrist would have been bent at a painful angle. “What are you…”

It clicked what was happening at the same moment that he tried to back up and couldn’t because there was no where to go. Jordan’s cock was right in his face.

“Thanks man. I fucking need this!” Jordan laughed and adjusted the pillow behind Asher’s head as he loomed over him.

“What-what do I–”

“Just keep your mouth open. I’ll do the rest,” Jordan said as he gripped the base of his erection with one hand and the headboard behind Asher with the other.

Asher had just enough time to take a deep breath and close his eyes before– 

His stomach turned as Jordan’s glans grazed his lips and kept going, sliding into his mouth.

“Ahh, there we go!” 

The headboard creaked as Jordan buried himself mid-shaft in Asher’s mouth and slowly pulled out.

“Lick and suck for me, okay Ash?”

Asher held onto Jordan’s hip and opened his eyes, staring awkwardly at his crotch – yeah, his pubes were about half-grown in like Asher’s own – as he numbly sealed his lips around Jordan’s shaft and pressed his tongue against the tip. 

“Fuck yeah!” Jordan let go of his cock and gripped the headboard with both hands. “I’ll try not to go too deep but…”

Jordan humped Asher’s mouth with gradually accelerating thrusts. In and out, in and out, until Asher’s lips felt strained and his jaw hurt.

Asher’s grip was loose on Jordan’s hips. He _could_ have stopped him, could have pushed him away, but he didn’t.

“Ohh yeah!” Jordan half-laughed, half-moaned. “I’m gettin’ there.”

A new trill of fear rang in Asher’s chest. The whole experience had been so surreal he hadn’t considered the practicalities of what Jordan ‘getting there’ would entail.

“I’ll pull out.” Jordan whimpered and on the next back-thrust popped out of Asher’s lips.

Asher breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed his aching jaw. 

But…Jordan’s cock was still _right there,_ only a few inches from Asher’s face as Jordan jerked it hard and fast. 

“Oh, oh yeah!” His breathing was shallow and his voice broken with pleasure.

Asher closed his eyes as hot, thick, _pungent_ jizz blasted his cheek. And the bridge of his nose. And his eyebrow. And his forehead. And his hair. And then Jordan was rubbing his sputtering cock all over Asher’s face. 

The scent of Jordan’s cum was oppressive and overwhelming. Asher couldn’t take a breath without feeling it in his lungs. It smelled like Asher’s own cum but sharper, more bitter, and just _different._ It was much stronger this time than the other two times Jordan had cum in Asher’s presence, but then Jordan hadn’t rubbed it in his face on those occasions. 

Asher pawed at his neck to stop the flow of semen from dribbling onto his chest, his eyes still screwed shut. He was already intensely aware of the thick glob spattered across his mouth, but that awareness reached a fever pitch as Jordan prodded at his lips with what had to be his cockhead.

“Open.”

Asher did, whether from surprise or blind compliance, but the next thing he knew the scent of Jordan’s cum had become a burning tang on his tongue. 

“Aww yeah, Ash, lick it clean.”

Asher licked and swallowed, just trying to get it out of his mouth.

Jordan withdrew his cock and the mattress creaked as he climbed off the bed. 

Something soft was pressed into Asher’s hand, and he didn’t hesitate to use it to wipe his face. It was his shirt, he determined once he was sure it was safe to open his eyes. Jordan had finished wiping himself down with his own shirt by this point.

“Here.” Jordan dabbed at the cool, drying cum on Asher’s crotch, a remnant of the messy blowjob Jordan had given him.

Asher didn’t say anything, just kept wiping his face and folding the shirt into ever smaller pieces. 

“Feel better?” Jordan asked, working a cotton-covered finger into the inner crease of Asher’s thigh.

“I guess,” Asher answered, spreading his leg to give Jordan access. 

“Good.” Jordan leaned forward and cupped the back of Asher’s head, kissing him before he had processed what was happening.

“Better go take a shower.” Asher stared at the floor. The sensation of… _everything_ was still very much on his skin.

“Later,” Jordan answered, tugging the shirt out of Asher’s hands and tossing it with his own beside the bed. “Nap first.”

Asher eyed the pile of clothes. The leg of his shorts peeked out from beneath Jordan’s soiled shirt. 

“Okay.” He shifted side-to-side on the bed with Jordan as Jordan pulled the comforter and sheet back and they climbed in. 

“No more thinking, okay?” Jordan whispered as he rolled onto his side and draped an arm over Asher’s chest.

“Kay.” Asher rolled over, facing away from Jordan but staying close as Jordan curled around his back and rubbed his chest.

Not thinking was good advice that Asher never really stood a chance of taking. He _did_ succeed in not thinking about what had just happened, why he had let it, what it meant…but that kind of not-thinking came with a price, and as Asher stared at the wall, he couldn’t help but replay the conversation he’d had with his dad the morning after he had first slept in Jordan’s bed.

* * *

_Three Days Ago_

Asher frowned as he pulled his ringing phone off the charger and spied the caller ID. 

“Hello.”

He braced himself for his dad’s drunken greeting.

“Hey Son,” Dad said softly. “How are you this morning?”

Asher’s cheeks heated. He had spent the morning lounging with Jordan in his bed and had only just returned to his own room.

“I’m fine,” he answered, noting that Dad’s words hadn’t come with a slur after all. “How about you?”

Dad took a long, deep breath before answering. “I…I’m a lucky man.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.” He paused again. “I got the groceries you sent yesterday. Thank you.”

Asher gave an offhand hum. It wasn’t a big deal. Countless times over the past couple of years he had done the grocery shopping, the cooking, and had generally made sure Dad ate something. This was just an extension of that.

“I don’t…um…”

“Dad?”

“Want to take you for granted.”

Asher blinked. “What?”

“I don’t want to take you for granted,” Dad repeated with more conviction.

“Oh-kay,” Asher answered slowly.

“I don’t wanna lose you,” Dad said in a soft tone.

Warmth bloomed in Asher’s chest. “You’re not gonna lose me.”

“I will if I keep drinking.”

“No, I–”

“Yeah, I will. I lost your mother.”

“I’m not Mom,” Asher answered, his jaw clenching. He wasn’t mad at her anymore…but sometimes he forgot that.

“Well, I can’t risk it.”

“Huh?”

“So, I’m done.”

“What?”

“Drinking. I’m done drinking,” Dad’s voice rang with determination. “I finished the rest of the vermouth last night. I don’t have any more alcohol in the house. The bars are closed anyway. So all I have to do is not buy more. It’s a good time to stop once and for all.”

“Yeah,” Asher mumbled, overcome with emotion as what his dad was saying sank in. “You think…you’ll be able to?”

Dad let out an indignant huff. “Of course.”

“Okay.”

“I love you,” he said quietly. “I don’t wanna screw things up between us.”

“I love you too,” Asher answered. He licked his lips. “And I know you can do it.”

* * *

Asher trembled and closed his eyes, fighting a swell of emotion. Why the fuck had he believed any of that? Of course his dad would end up getting in a drunken brawl two days later. What had he expected?

“Ash?” Jordan’s voice was heavy with sleep as he stirred behind him. “Ya’ okay?”

Asher nodded, hoping Jordan would feel it against him. 

Jordan sighed and pressed his face against the back of Asher’s head. “Can I hold you?”

“Yeah,” Asher whispered, shifting back deeper into Jordan’s embrace.

“Thanks.” Jordan sighed again and trailed his hand down Asher’s chest.

Asher waited for Jordan’s hand to stop and move back up as his thumb brushed Asher’s navel. It didn’t.

“Oh.” Asher froze, his eyes opening as Jordan cupped his cock and balls.

“Ah.” Jordan hummed and dug his nose into the back of Asher’s neck as he hefted Asher’s balls a couple times and tapped at the head of his dick with his thumb. “This is so much fun to play with.”

Asher lay still and listened as Jordan’s breathing gradually leveled off, signaling he’d fallen asleep again.

* * *

_Forty Minutes Earlier_

Asher’s hand trembled as he hung up with his mom. 

“Ash?” Jordan crossed the short space between them.

“I shouldn’t have…” He trailed off as he stared at his phone, then at Jordan.

“It’s okay. You’re gonna be okay.”

Asher’s whole body trembled as Jordan wrapped him in a tight embrace. 

“Just relax,” Jordan whispered. “It’s over now.”

Asher’s heart sank. That’s what he was afraid of.

“C’mon.” Jordan ended the embrace and grabbed Asher’s hand. “Let’s go to my room.”

“What?” Asher dug in his heels but didn’t pull away.

“We’ll just lay on my bed and talk. Or not talk. Whatever you need," Jordan answered as he led him into the hallway.

“I dunno.” Asher hesitated outside Jordan’s door.

“What’s wrong?”

“I just…” Asher shrugged and gave Jordan a tentative look. “I’m upset and…”

“Yeah?” Jordan gripped Asher’s shoulders and massaged his biceps with his thumbs.

“I don’t think I’m ready for anything else to, you know, _happen._ ”

Jordan gave him a gentle smile and another squeeze before opening his bedroom door. “Nothing’s gonna happen, Ash. We’re just gonna lay down.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope the sequence of events in this chapter was clear even though they were told out of order via flashbacks. Just in case there’s any confusion, here’s the order that things happened:
> 
> -The morning after the previous chapter Asher gets a call from his dad and his dad promises to quit drinking.  
> -Three days later, the day of this chapter, Asher gets another call from his dad, this one “off screen” telling him he’s been arrested for getting into a drunken physical altercation with the neighbor.  
> -Asher has the conversation/confrontation with his mom in an attempt to get her to bail out his dad.  
> -Asher is upset. Jordan tells him nothing is going to happen and takes him to his room.  
> -Stuff happens.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
> 
> Feedback is greatly appreciated!


	9. Harder and Faster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains smut. Originally it was also going to include Asher and Jordan’s first time going all the way – there would thus have been _two_ smut scenes in this chapter – but I decided to stop it where I did after the smut scene at the end since the chapters aren’t meant to be that long, and this way I can get an update out over the weekend.

Asher: _Hey_

Asher: _Got a minute?_

Olivia: _Sure, what’s up?_

Asher: _Zoom?_

Olivia: _K, give me five_

Asher: _K. I’ll make a meeting_

After setting things up and sending Olivia the link, Asher went to the bathroom while he waited for her to join. He was at the mirror fixing his hair for the first time that morning when her voice came through his computer speakers.

“Asher? Ash, you there?”

“Coming,” he shouted as he patted down an unruly tuft on the side of his head and hustled back into his room. “Hey.”

“Hey.” She waved as he settled into his desk chair. 

“Thanks for getting on.” He let the smile linger on his lips. “It’s really good to see you, Liv.”

“You too.” She beamed back at him, and for a moment it felt like they were back in high school about to plan a late weekend brunch…not in colleges on opposite coasts trying to ride out a pandemic. “So, did you just wanna chill and catch up, or…?” 

His smile faded and he cleared his throat. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Okay.”

“So yesterday…” His stomach twisted.

She didn’t speak, just kept her face neutrally expectant.

“Something happened. And I don’t know how to, like, deal with it.”

“What happened?” Her gaze softened.

Asher took a breath and let the warmth in her eyes soothe him. “My dad was arrested.”

“Shit. Why?”

“He got in a fight with the neighbor. He was drunk.”

“Oh.” She nodded and leaned closer to the screen. “And you need to find a way to get him out?”

He shook his head. “I already made my mom bail him out.”

“ _Made_ her?”

“Yeah.” He tossed his hand in dismissal. “Anyway, a few days before this happened, he promised he’d quit drinking.”

She sighed and her shoulders sagged. “That sucks. But it’s not really as easy as just deciding to stop something you’re addicted to.”

“I know.” His tone was sharper and more defensive than he’d intended. “Sorry. Just…I do know. He called me last night when he got home.”

“And?”

“He still wants to stop. He said it was just a slip up and it’s not gonna happen again.”

She didn’t look convinced. Asher wasn’t either.

“But I think he needs help.”

“Yeah.”

“So uh, do you have any, like…”

“Resources?”

He nodded.

“Yeah. AA is a different group, and I’m not sure when they meet, but I can find out and text you.”

“Thanks,” he answered softly. “And you had a therapist who specializes in addiction and recovery too, huh?”

“Dr. Johnson, yeah. I’ll send you her info too.”

“Do you think she can help him?” Asher’s chest tightened. “Or that the meetings will help? Or…” He ran out of air and coughed as a burst of emotion overwhelmed him.

“I dunno,” she whispered. “It’s kinda up to him if he’s ready to get help. And to actually do the work to get better.”

“Well he said…” Asher drew in a sharp breath and shook his head. “But I guess I shouldn’t believe him.”

She didn’t say anything, but the sympathetic, knowing look in her eye eased a measure of the aching tension in his chest.

“So, I heard your latest podcast.”

Her face lit up. “Oh yeah? What’d ya think?”

They talked about the podcast for a while, traded updates about their friends, and caught each other up on their fairly boring lockdown routines. Of course there was one interesting piece of news Asher could have shared with her…except that he _couldn’t,_ and that only made him feel more guilty than he already did about what he was doing with her _brother._

“So, what happened with your mom?” Olivia asked when there was a lull in the conversation.

Asher flinched but tried to recover. “What do you mean?”

She tilted her head and gave him a look that could have made him confess to anything, probably even sucking her brother’s cock if she had asked point blank.

“She didn’t wanna bail him out so I…basically emotionally blackmailed her.”

“What did you do?”

“I said if he got the virus in jail I’d never talk to her again.” He shrugged. “Well I said she’d be dead to me.”

“Asher.”

“I know. It was a shitty thing to do.” He glanced away from the screen at the wall behind his desk. “But at least it worked.”

“And…” She paused until he looked at her. “Do you think the ends justify the means?”

“Yeah.”

She gave him the look again.

“Well maybe.”

More look.

“Okay, probably not. I just didn’t know what else to do.” 

“I know.” This look was a lot softer. “Have you talked to her since?”

He shook his head. “I doubt she wants to talk to me.”

“And I doubt that’s true.”

A flare of icy-warm conflict stirred in his veins. “Well, I wouldn’t even know what to say.”

“You could apologize.”

“But I’m not sorry,” he answered, giving her a look of his own that said not to push it.

She frowned but glanced away. “Okay, I better go. I hear Layla rattling around in the kitchen. I’ll get you that info for your dad.”

“Thanks Liv.” He fought the urge to add _I love you._ It was true, but it wasn’t something he should say to his ex. 

“Talk to you later, Ash. Love you.”

She hung up before he could answer, so he grabbed his phone and typed a message.

Asher: _Love you too!_

He hesitated. That looked too emphatic, so he deleted the exclamation mark and replaced it with a heart. Then he deleted the heart and replaced it with an orange heart because that seemed more platonic. Satisfied, he sent the text.

Olivia: _Call your mom._

He scowled at the phone. He should have sent a green heart.

“Hey,” Jordan said as he knocked on Asher’s open door.

Asher set his phone on the desk and looked up. “Hey.”

“Was that my sister?”

“Yeah.”

“What were you talking about?” he asked, folding his arms and leaning against the doorway.

Asher rolled his eyes. “Not you.”

“Good.” He uncrossed his arms and stepped into the room. “I’m not ready to come out to her yet.”

Asher arched his brow and sat up straighter. “Yet?”

“Yeah.” Jordan shrugged. “I’m gonna tell her eventually. She won’t have a problem with it, and it seems like something she should know.”

“Oh.” Asher sat back in his chair as he tried to figure out how to phrase what he wanted to say. “Can you…not mention me when you do? Like, I get that she’s your sister and that’s between you and her, but she’s also my ex and one of my closest friends. So, uh–”

“Yeah, of course.” Jordan dropped a hand on Asher’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “Besides, when the time comes I’m only gonna tell her I’m bi, not give her a blow-by-blow of my sex life.”

Asher cringed and shot Jordan a look.

“Uh, you know, such as it is.”

“Uh huh.”

“Anyway, you wanna go to the park?”

“Sure.” Asher stood, unconcerned that it put him in Jordan’s personal space.

Jordan clutched Asher’s arms just above the elbows as he shifted, adjusting his stance but staying close. 

Asher licked his lips as their eyes briefly met before Jordan’s dropped to his mouth. He gave a faint nod and held still as Jordan closed the small distance between their faces. 

Jordan wrapped his arms the rest of the way around Asher’s body and sighed into the kiss, his lips parting. Asher went with it, keeping their mouths sealed together as he opened his too and allowed Jordan’s tongue inside. 

It felt really good being kissed and held like this, and Asher refused to over-think it as he cupped the back of Jordan’s head and flicked Jordan’s tongue with his own. By the time the kiss ended, he was outright sucking on it.

Jordan pressed his forehead against Asher’s and panted. “Do you still wanna go to the park or…?”

Asher laughed and nudged Jordan back with a hand on his chest. “Yeah, let’s go to the park.”

“I’m hard,” Jordan whispered.

“You are,” Asher acknowledged with a smirk at the raging tent in Jordan’s shorts.

“How are you not?” Jordan asked, his voice tinged with vulnerability as he glanced at the more subtle bulge in Asher’s shorts.

Asher shrugged and wrapped his arms around Jordan as he arched his hips, ensuring Jordan’s tent and his bulge made direct contact.

“Oh god.” Jordan writhed against him, one hand pressed to the small of Asher’s back and the other wound around his shoulders.

Asher tilted his head and sucked on Jordan’s neck as he ground against him, focusing on the throbbing, fluttering sensation in their crotches. Jordan had a head start, but it didn’t take him long to catch up.

“There,” Asher whispered into Jordan’s ear before he broke the embrace and backed up. They both stared at the tent in Asher’s shorts. “Now I’m hard too.”

“And you _still_ wanna go the park?!”

“Yes.” Asher laughed and guided Jordan out of his room. “Now go get changed.”

Jordan gave one last longing look at Asher’s tent before leaving.

They brought the football and tossed it around before running a couple laps along the trail on the park’s perimeter. When they were done, they went for smoothies at the same place Asher had stopped last time.

“Let’s drink ‘em here,” Jordan said, motioning at the outdoor tables, his mask dangling around his neck.

Asher hesitated but nodded. There was one other guy at a table on the opposite side of the patio, as well as a couple who had waited the mandated distance behind them as they got their drinks. It seemed low risk enough.

Jordan sank into an already pulled out metal chair, and Asher pushed the one next to it out with his foot.

They were quiet for a few minutes as they sipped their smoothies.

“So uh, I’ve been thinking a lot about what we did yesterday,” Jordan said.

Asher snickered. “Yeah, I figured you would.”

Jordan nodded and fidgeted with his cup, his eyes cast to the table. 

Asher waited for him to continue, but he didn’t.

“You okay?” Asher squeezed Jordan’s forearm.

Jordan looked up, raw emotion written across his face.

“Whoa, what is it?” Asher shifted closer, his thumb trailing a slow, steady circuit across Jordan’s skin.

“Did I mess up?” Jordan asked, his voice harsh and ragged.

Asher swallowed. “What do you mean?”

“Yesterday. I thought…” Jordan pulled his arm away and crossed his hands behind his neck. “I thought what we did was mutual. Like, I know I said nothing was gonna happen, but then things heated up and I thought we both wanted it to.” He scrubbed his hands across his face before letting them fall to the table. “But now I’ve been thinking more about it, and I realize that maybe…Did I mess up?”

Asher took a long breath and an even longer draught from his straw before answering. “Yeah, you messed up.”

“Oh.” Jordan sagged in his seat and dropped his eyes. “I-I thought I got consent.”

“Yeah,” Asher conceded with a shrug. There was no need to add the _sort of_ that rang in his head.

Jordan looked up and spoke softly. “And you could have said no or stopped at any point.”

“I know.” Asher bumped his foot against Jordan’s.

“So why didn’t you?”

“Uh…” Asher pursed his lips and tried to figure that out himself. “I was, like, tired I guess. And just…I dunno. It seemed easier to go along with it than to stop it. I thought you’d realize on your own that I wasn’t that into it, but you didn’t and…yeah, that’s on me.”

“No, I” –Jordan covered Asher’s hand with his own– “I should have. I’m sorry. I kinda got carried away.”

Asher huffed in amused agreement. “Yeah, especially at the end there.”

Jordan’s eyebrows drew together. “What do you mean?”

“When you” –Asher lowered his voice– “Came in my face.”

“Oh.” Jordan leaned back and tilted his head. “You didn’t like _that_ part?”

“No.”

“Well damn.” The confusion on Jordan’s face grew. “That’s like my signature move.”

“What?”

“Yeah, I call it the Baker Surprise,” Jordan said with a proud grin. “Girls love it.”

“Do they though?” 

“Oh yeah.” Jordan gave an assured nod. “It’s one of the many things that makes me such a spontaneous, dynamic lover.”

Asher choked on his smoothie. “And you don’t typically ask first?”

“Of course not.” Jordan shifted in his seat. “It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told people it was coming, now would it?”

Asher groaned and shook his head. “Please start telling people it’s coming, and make sure they’re okay with it first.”

Jordan frowned. “Well it’s not like I’m walking around the student union giving random people a Baker Surprise out of nowhere. Doesn’t this fall under general consent for sex and blow jobs?”

“It’s really a better safe than sorry situation,” Asher answered.

“Oh.” Jordan swallowed and gave him another vulnerable look. “In that case, I’m _really_ sorry, Ash.”

“It’s okay,” Asher answered, letting the moment linger before snickering. “I suppose I’ve had worse surprises.”

“So um” –Jordan dragged his chair closer to the table– “how can I fix this?”

“It’s cool.” Asher shrugged and shifted his own chair closer, letting their knees brush under the table. “I’m not, like, traumatized or even mad. Just do better next time.”

“Next time?” Jordan tilted his head, a smile tugging at his lips. “So there is gonna be a next time?”

Asher looked around to make sure no one was watching before leaning in and pressing a quick kiss to Jordan’s mouth. “Let’s go home and find out.”

* * *

“I’m so horny today,” Jordan said with a whine as he sat beside Asher on the couch. They were about to start a gaming session.

“Oh?” Asher selected his character and nudged Jordan’s arm with his elbow to get him to do the same. “That sucks.”

"Yeah. _Sucks,_ ” Jordan emphasized as he rubbed the heel of his palm over his crotch before picking up his controller.

It had been just over a week since their first time trading blow jobs, and they had done it twice more since. Jordan had also slept in Asher’s bed for the first time the night before, and Asher had been back in Jordan’s bed three times.

“Dude, get your head in the game!” Asher said about forty minutes later as he easily defeated Jordan for the sixth time. It wasn’t even a challenge.

“I’m having trouble focusing,” Jordan answered.

“You’re not even trying to focus,” Asher snapped. “You’re just sitting there playing with your dick and occasionally mashing buttons.” 

“I am not!” Jordan insisted, teasing the outline of his cock with his thumb and tickling the wet spot clinging to his cockhead with his index finger. “I’m playing with the controller way more…I’m just having more _fun_ with my dick.”

Asher huffed and rolled his eyes. “Let’s quit and you can go jerk off.”

“Is that my only option?” Jordan asked with a smirk. When Asher didn’t answer, he frowned and let go of his boner. “Sorry man. I’ll stop if it’s making you uncomfortable.”

“It’s not,” Asher answered, making eye contact. “I’m not at all uncomfortable. I’m just not horny, and I wanted to play the game.”

“Okay, let’s go,” Jordan answered, sitting up straight and nodding toward the TV. “Seriously, I’ll focus.”

Asher won the next round, but it was close, and Jordan won the round after. Two more evenly matched games later, Asher dropped his controller on the floor.

“Okay, I had fun. Now let’s get off.”

“What?” Jordan gaped at him, but it quickly morphed into a mischievous grin. “You mean it?”

Asher spread his legs and leaned back, revealing the heavy semi tucked against his inner thigh. He had made his decision during the last game and gotten himself worked up thinking about it.

“Fuck yeah!” Jordan fist pumped the air and triumphantly tugged his shorts down to his ankles, exposing his limp but already stirring manhood.

Asher chuckled and shucked his shirt over his head before removing his pants. 

“Mmm, that’s what I’m talkin’ about!” Jordan raked his eyes up and down Asher’s nude body almost frantically.

A warm glow heated Asher’s face as he struck a pose and leaned back, his muscles flexed and his own arousal spirited along by Jordan’s enthusiasm. They were both at full mast now. 

“What do you wanna do…” 

Asher got his answer as Jordan settled between his legs and stretched out over him, covering Asher’s body with his own and thrusting against him. They both reached down and held their cocks together as Jordan bucked and Asher writhed.

Jordan moved to kiss him, but Asher stopped him with a hand on his collarbone. He curled his thumb into the neck of Jordan’s t-shirt and tugged on it. 

“Take your shirt off. I want more skin on skin.” 

Jordan grinned and pressed his cock and balls hard against Asher’s as he yanked his shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor, then dove at Asher’s mouth.

Asher accepted him with wide open lips, curling his tongue around Jordan’s as they entered each other’s mouths. It was sloppy, rough, and intense – just way the Jordan liked it…just the way Asher now liked it.

Asher’s hands were everywhere on Jordan’s back, desperate to pull him closer. Chest gliding across chest. Stomachs flexing and straining. Cocks drooling and grinding. Balls rolling against each other.

Oh fuck. Asher needed to get off soon.

Jordan curled his fingers into Asher’s hair and tugged his head back, breaking the kiss as he slammed his cock against Asher’s.

“Harder,” Asher pleaded, closing his eyes and flexing his cock against Jordan’s abs. “Faster.”

Jordan grunted and tightened his grip on Asher’s head, his other hand clamped around Asher’s shoulder as he rammed his cock against Asher’s.

The pressure was insane, and it ached _so good,_ but– 

“It’s not enough,” Jordan bit out as he fucked the tight, hard space between their bodies, made slick and _noisy_ from their sweat and precum.

“It so fucking isn’t,” Asher agreed, digging his heel into Jordan’s ass to spur him on. 

Jordan groaned and bucked harder and faster. It fucking hurt and they needed to finish soon or stop, or at least add lube or something, but Asher’s cock was straining and twitching now, the sensitivity dialed up so high that every throbbing inch Jordan thrust against it was almost blindingly good.

“Get on the floor,” Jordan said, leaning back and destroying the hard, wet tunnel their cocks had been trapped in. His abs glistened and his pubes were visibly damp. A quick glanced confirmed to Asher that he was in a similar state.

“Why?” Asher pressed his erection against Jordan’s. He had been right on the edge. He was _still_ right on the edge. His balls quivered, yearning to pump out a load that would really make their stomachs glisten and soak their crotches.

“I wanna do something new,” Jordan said, climbing off the couch and patting Asher’s hip. 

“New?” Asher sat up and gave Jordan a cautious look, his need to get off taking a backseat. “Then we should talk about it first.”

“No.” Jordan huffed and jerked his cock a few times. “It’s not really _new._ I wanna…” He let go and pressed his palms together with his fingers straight up in a kind of ‘prayer’ position.

“What, lift our hands in worship?”

“Oh, you’ll thank god before it’s over,” Jordan said with a smirk as he grabbed Asher’s wrists and tugged him off the couch. “C’mon, we’ll stop if you don’t like it, but it’s seriously just an extension of what we’ve been doing, and I think you’re really gonna be into it.”

Jordan sat on the floor in the middle of the room and guided Asher to sit in front of him. “Okay, spread you legs like this and lay back.” He scooted forward as close as he could, his thighs on either side of Asher’s waist as he stretched out on his back, one hand on the base of his cock, holding it straight up.

Asher sighed and mimicked the position, spreading his thighs beneath Jordan’s and sliding closer until their cocks and balls touched.

“Isn’t this more of a lesbian position?”

Jordan laughed. “I think it’ll be hot for us too.” He squeezed his thighs and increased the pressure between their erections. “You feel how close we are?”

Asher sighed and slid the underside of his shaft up and down against Jordan’s. Their wet, bloated glans kissed and pulsed as Asher tapped them together. “Ye-yeah.”

“Aww yeah, Ash, moan for me and work your cock on mine.”

Asher bit his lip and curled his fingers around Jordan’s wrist as he resisted the urge to jerk their erections, instead letting them bump and grind. “Ah, yeah.” He let out a ragged sigh. “You were right.” He heard the strain in his own voice. “Ughn, that feels really good.”

“Yeah, so fucking good,” Jordan called back, rocking their quivering cocks together. “Gah, we are like the _exact_ same size.”

“Uh huh.” Asher sat up into a half crunch so he could he see better as he brought his other hand in on the action, pressing two fingers to the back of his cockhead to ensure nothing interrupted its drooling make out session with Jordan’s bloated glans.

“Oh man, and our balls are all fucking over each other too.” Jordan bounced and wiggled his. “That makes this super gay, ya know?”

Asher laughed and took a languid thrust. Jordan sort of had a point though. They were cock-to-cock, balls-to-balls, and even taint-to-taint. There was an added intimacy about it that sent a jolt of excitement rolling up Asher’s spine…or maybe that was the telltale spasm of Jordan’s cock.

“Shoot, Jordan, shoot!” Asher shouted as he felt Jordan’s balls drawing up in his sack and his taint strain and contract.

Jordan let out a choked gasp as cum geysered out of his cock and straight into the air. It spattered all over Asher’s crotch and stomach, then cascaded in a hot, thick flow down the underside of their shafts.

Asher bucked like crazy and polished his cockhead with Jordan’s cum as Jordan continued spewing all over it. An instant later he flew over the edge himself, his mouth dropping open and his eyes practically crossing.

“Uhn, oh! Goddamn! Ughn, yeah!” 

Asher clamped down around Jordan’s thighs and ground their twitching taints and balls together as hard as he could, watching in dazed delight as he unleashed his own cum fountain into the air and angled it to rain down on Jordan.

They sat up, both still panting. Jordan kissed him and Asher kissed back. Jordan draped a clumsy, heavy arm over his shoulder, and Asher responded with an equally trembling, exhausted limb around Jordan’s back. Hands traveled to each other’s cummy cocks, lazy and playful at first but with ever increasing intent as the pair continued to make out, grope, and grind.

Fifteen minutes later, they were unloading a second time against each other before collapsing in a sweaty heap on the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter. 
> 
> As always feedback is greatly appreciated! I’m particularly curious what people thought of Asher and Jordan’s talk about what happened last chapter.
> 
> And FYI if anyone’s curious: there are three more chapters planned with the next one featuring their first time going all the way.


	10. Ooh and Aah

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains smut, a double dose actually.

“Hey Dad.” 

“Hey.” 

Asher adjusted the angle of his screen and took a second to appraise his dad. He was either tired or in a bad mood. “So how’d it go?” 

“Fine.” 

Asher frowned at the curt response. 

Dad sighed and his shoulders sagged, but he gave Asher a smile. “Really. It was fine. I’m just not used to talking to strangers on webcam about my personal business.” 

“Do you think you’ll keep going?”

Dad nodded, crisp and serious. “I said I would.”

“Well, actually you only said you’d try it, not that you’d keep going.” Asher inwardly groaned. He was doing it again, falling into the pattern Olivia had pointed out a few months prior of him needing to be right when he spoke with his dad rather than focusing on the spirit of the conversation. In this case all that mattered was that Dad had committed to a second virtual AA meeting.

“No.” Dad pursed his lips and glowered. “I told _them_ I would be back. At the end of the meeting when they asked.”

“Oh!” Asher grinned, dialing his enthusiasm up rather than tamping it down the way he felt inclined. It only took one of them to break the pattern.

“Yeah.” Dad’s scowl softened. “And I got a sponsor.”

“You did?!” 

Asher cringed. Okay, maybe he needed to dial it back down. It sounded like he was prompting a four-year-old to continue telling him about the ‘new kid he had met on the playground.’

“Yeah, her name’s Julie. She said I should call you when we were done.”

Asher frowned.

“I was going to anyway.” Dad cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. “Hey, uh, she also told me about something you might be interested in.”

Asher arched his brow and waited for him to continue.

“It’s called Al-Anon. It’s like AA but for people who have family members who are” –Dad sighed– “alcoholics.”

“Oh yeah.” Asher nodded. “Olivia sent me their info too. I might look into it. I dunno.”

“It’s supposed to help.”

Asher gave a noncommittal hum.

“So…?”

“I’ll think about it.”

Dad grunted and changed the subject. “And I got some good news today.”

“Your test results came back?” Asher asked, leaning forward. 

“No, not yet.” Dad shook his head and shrugged. “But it’s been almost two weeks since I was…in jail. So I must be fine.”

“It’s only been nine days.”

“No, about two weeks.”

“Dad, I can look at the date on the text Olivia sent me the day after you got out.” Asher picked up his phone and opened his thread with Olivia but stopped. He took a deep breath and set the phone back down. “What’s your good news?”

“Aha, I was right!” Dad pointed at the screen with vindication. “Two weeks!”

“I didn’t look.”

“Well look.”

“I don’t need to look. It doesn’t matter. Nine days or two weeks, you could still technically be asymptomatic.”

“I feel fine.”

“That’s literally what asymptomatic me–” Asher sighed and tried again in a pleasant tone. “What’s your good news, Dad?”

“My furlough’s over. They’re moving me to another division. I’ll be back at work full time starting Monday, working remotely of course.”

“That’s awesome!” Asher grinned again. 

Dad spent a few minutes filling him in on the details of his new role and its responsibilities. When he was done, Asher cleared his throat.

“So uh, you’ll be getting paid again.”

“Well yeah. I’m not volunteering,” Dad answered with a chuckle.

“Cool.” Asher rubbed his neck. He wasn’t sure when it had become awkward asking his dad for money, but it was now.

Realization dawned in Dad’s eyes and his face dropped. “Oh crap. I haven’t been checking your account. Do you have anything left?”

“Nah, I’m overdrawn.”

“Overdrawn?! What the hell, Son? Why didn’t you tell me? That’s so irresponsible.”

“What were you gonna do?” Asher answered, his face burning and his jaw tightening.

“Send you money. We’re not destitute.” Dad looked away and his keyboard clattered. “Hold on, I’m doing it now.”

Asher took a breath and sat back in his chair, trying to calm down and work through the conflicting snarl of embarrassment and relief tangled around him. Just then Jordan’s door creaked open across the hall.

“Dammit, this is bad. How have you been paying your bills?”

“Jordan,” Asher said, as much in greeting as in response as his roommate hovered in the doorway wearing only a pair of red pajama shorts.

“Hey Mr Adams,” Jordan called as he stepped into the room and leaned over Asher’s shoulder so he could wave at the screen.

Dad bristled but quickly schooled his features back into a neutral expression. “Jordan, good to see you. Thanks for helping my wayward son keep a roof over his head.”

Jordan laughed and clapped both hands over Asher’s shoulders. “Sure, anytime,” he answered with a squeeze.

Something warm sparked in Asher’s stomach and traveled up into his chest then his face as he turned his head and grinned at Jordan. His attention snapped back to his dad as he realized what he was doing. He was looking but didn’t seem particularly interested.

“How much do we owe you?” Dad asked, arching his brow.

“Don’t worry about it.” Jordan patted Asher’s shoulders one more time before letting go and taking a few steps back so he could flop on Asher’s bed. “Asher already paid me back in other ways.”

Asher’s stomach dropped through the floor. “Uh…”

“Chores, cooking” –Jordan waved a hand, whether Dad could see it from that angle Asher wasn’t sure– “that kinda thing.”

“Well, he’s going to pay you back in money too,” Dad said with a hard look at Asher. “I’ll send something extra.”

“Thanks.” Asher was pretty sure the back of his neck was on fire. “Anyway, I’m glad the meeting went okay, Dad. And congrats on work. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Okay, bye.” Dad’s hand appeared in front of the camera as the call ended.

“What the hell?!” Asher spun his chair around and glared at Jordan.

“What?” Jordan leaned back on Asher’s bed and idly rubbed his bare stomach, his thumb playing with his navel.

“‘Asher paid me back in other ways,’” Asher mimicked, curling his fingers into quote marks. 

“Yeah, I’m sure your dad’s first thought was that it must have been in sexual favors,” Jordan answered with a smirk, his thumb dipping lower and hooking into the waistband of his pajama shorts.

Asher’s scowl deepened.

“Which isn’t what I meant.” Jordan raised both hands. “I meant companionship and friendship. That kinda thing.”

Asher sighed. “Let’s figure out about how much you’ve spent on me in the last couple weeks. I do wanna pay you back. _In money._ ”

“Ash, it’s not necessary.”

“Yeah it is. I’m not…my mom. You’re not paying for my companionship.”

Jordan hissed through his teeth and sat up. “Okay well, this is getting uncomfortable.”

“Why don’t you pull up your account and we can go through your transaction history?”

“Right, and that sounds like a ton of fun,” Jordan answered with an exaggerated nod. “ _Or_ we could do that tomorrow, and you could come get in bed with me now.”

“You’re inviting me into my own bed?” Asher asked with a smirk as he stood.

“Sure.” Jordan sprawled out on his side and patted the mattress. “You have every right to be here.”

Asher rolled his eyes and sank onto the edge of the bed. “And what did you have in mind?”

“Anything you want,” Jordan answered, resting his hand against Asher’s on the comforter.

Asher nudged Jordan’s hand and let the smile linger on his face before tugging his shirt over his head and kicking off his shoes.

“I like where this is going!”

Asher laughed under his breath as he also shed his pants. 

Jordan licked his lips and reached for his shorts, but Asher caught his wrists and stopped him.

“I’ll tell you when you can take those off.”

Jordan’s face lit up and he leaned back against the pillows. “Oh, is that so?” 

“Mmhmm.” Asher crawled over Jordan and lowered himself on top of him, his naked crotched pressed to Jordan’s clothed one.

“Are you gonna kiss me?” Jordan whispered.

Asher shook his head and rolled his hips, watching with rapt attention as pleasure, need, and frustration played out across Jordan’s face in rapid succession.

Jordan clutched Asher’s sides and spread his thighs. “Please.”

Asher caught Jordan’s chin with his thumb and finger and made to kiss him, stopping with his lips a scant inch from Jordan’s. “I dunno.” He rolled his hips again, grinding long and hard against the raging erection in Jordan’s shorts. “What’s in it for me?”

“A really, really epic blow job,” Jordan whispered against Asher’s mouth.

Asher sank fully on top of Jordan’s warm, firm chest and pressed their foreheads together. “Deal,” he whispered, their lips brushing and shifting into a kiss.

Jordan wrapped his arms around Asher’s neck and his legs around Asher’s hips and pulled him closer as Asher’s tongue invaded his mouth. 

“Mmmuhn.” Asher trembled and ground his bare erection against Jordan’s clothed one. 

Jordan whimpered and writhed beneath him.

“It’s time” –Asher broke the kiss and trailed his lips to Jordan’s jaw– “to get” –he sucked on Jordan’s neck– “you out” –he kissed Jordan’s collarbone– 

“Oh Ash, yes!” He clutched Asher’s head.

“Of these” –Asher dragged his mouth down Jordan’s pec and drew his nipple into his mouth. He flicked it with his tongue– “shorts.” He yanked them down Jordan’s hips and wrapped his hand around Jordan’s hard, veiny cock.

“Fuck!” Jordan kicked them the rest of the way down his legs and spread his thighs wide as Asher hovered over him, jerking his cock.

“So, who was gonna get that epic blow job again?”

“I mean, if you want me to go first…” Jordan smirked at him as Asher played with his foreskin, rolling it up and down his glans.

“How ‘bout we go at the same time?” Asher answered as he turned on the bed and swung his leg over Jordan, backing up toward him.

“Fuck, your ass!”

“Nah, just a blow job,” Asher said, angling his cock back and swiping the tip across Jordan’s lips.

Jordan let out a throaty moan and sucked Asher’s length into his mouth.

Asher released a moan of his own and clutched Jordan’s thigh with one hand as he held the base of his shaft with the other and plunged Jordan’s cock through his lips and down his throat.

Jordan tensed and bucked, humming around Asher’s manhood.

Asher hummed too and drew his head back, swirling his tongue around every inch as his lips retreated. He gave Jordan’s cockhead special attention, lapping at Jordan’s frenulum and foreskin and flicking his cockslit. It felt fucking dirty that the tip of his tongue was right where Jordan pissed and came. He pressed his tongue harder against the slit.

Jordan bucked and whined, clutching Asher’s ass before yanking him deeper down his throat and curling his fingers into Asher’s crack.

Asher’s eyes widened but he didn’t protest as he focused on re-swallowing Jordan’s erection, taking more and more until Jordan’s balls were right under his nose. Fuck, they smelled good. There was a faint, crotch-y musk that Asher had ignored on previous occasions, but that tonight made him throb in Jordan’s throat.

Jordan went wild as Asher cupped his balls and _sniffed_ while rubbing them all over his nose and face. They were hot and heavy, and Jordan’s sack was soft and silky on Asher’s skin. That was new. Asher vividly remembered the dark fuzz that had covered Jordan’s balls the night before when they had been pressed against his own; he remembered the mixed cum that had pooled there by the time they were finished.

Jordan pulled off of Asher’s cock with a wet slurp. “Aww fuck yeah! Suck ‘em, Ash. Suck my nuts!”

Asher continued studying Jordan’s crotch as he drew his head back, sucking hard on Jordan’s shaft. The nest of curly dark hair covering his pelvis was just the same, as was the smattering that lined his inner thighs. He curled his fingers under Jordan’s balls and rubbed his taint. The hair there was intact too. 

“Did you…shave them for me?” Asher asked as he tickled the soft skin and watched as Jordan’s balls twitched in his sack.

“Yeah. I really want you to suck ‘em.” Jordan pleaded as he jerked Asher’s cock.

Asher took another long whiff and decided that, yeah, that would be okay in his mouth. “Okay.”

He gently sucked one of Jordan’s balls between his lips.

“Aaahh!” Jordan’s grip on Asher’s cock tightened and he ground his thumb against Asher’s taint.

Asher sighed and rolled the delicate orb around in his mouth, noting its weight on his tongue and the way that Jordan’s hips jerked and writhed as he sucked on it, Jordan’s cock pulsing and drooling against Asher’s chest. After a few more careful rolls and tongue flicks, Asher’s released Jordan’s first ball and switched to the other one.

“Ooh god. Yeah, Ash. Aah!” Jordan pressed his forehead against Asher’s taint, Asher’s own balls resting against his closed eyes.

Asher rubbed Jordan’s cock against his collarbone and throat as he raised his head and let his second ball fall out of his mouth. “You want me to keep sucking your nuts or go back to your dick?”

“Play with ‘em, but fuckin’ swallow my dick, man. I gonna cum down your throat in a minute.”

Asher stroked Jordan’s cock and cupped his balls. “Okay. You can.” 

Jordan sighed and relaxed against the bed as he rubbed Asher’s cock all over his face and licked the underside before taking him back in his mouth.

Asher slurped and gagged as he swallowed Jordan to the hilt, playing up the sound and intentionally being messy. His saliva dripped down Jordan’s sack as he rolled and very gently kneaded his balls.

Jordan’s hips arched off the bed and he let out a muffled moan as he kept Asher buried in his hot, wet throat but made no movement.

Jordan was close, but Asher wasn’t done with him yet. He bobbed his head and gave Jordan’s cockhead a final vigorous polishing as Jordan throbbed and grew impossibly harder and thicker in his mouth. He tongued Jordan’s cockslit one more time as the first spasm seized his shaft, then plunged back down as Jordan exploded all over the base of his tongue and the back of his mouth.

He didn’t stop playing with Jordan’s balls as they rolled up in his sack. Nor did he quit choking and swallowing Jordan’s cum as Jordan’s knees drew up and his thighs closed around Asher’s ears.

Jordan thrashed on the bed, moaning and whimpering on Asher’s cock.

When at last Jordan’s erection quit spasming and his knees relaxed, Asher raised his head and gasped for breath, letting a mouthful of unswallowed cum – he had gotten _most_ of it down – dribble onto Jordan’s pelvis and abdomen. He rubbed the creamy froth into Jordan’s dark skin and darker pubes and gave his cock a few more firm strokes, making sure he had milked out every drop before collapsing on his side and laying his cheek on Jordan’s thigh, his head angled so that Jordan’s face was visible from around his genitals and over the swells and ridges of his abdomen and chest.

The new position dislodged Asher’s cock from Jordan’s mouth, and Jordan’s head sagged against the pillow as he panted for breath.

“Fuck, man.” Jordan’s voice trembled. “That was–” He laughed and scrubbed a hand over his face and through his hair, sweat dripping from his armpit. “That was _so_ fucking good.” He drew in a long breath and exhaled through puffed lips, his eyes rolled back in his head. “ _Fuck_ that felt amazing.”

Asher squeezed Jordan’s thick inner thigh and beamed up at him.

“Gimme a minute, bro. Then I’m gonna suck your cock like a vacuum cleaner.”

Asher laughed and played with Jordan’s softening erection, rolling his foreskin up until only the mouth of his glans was exposed. His semi was still long and swollen enough to reach Asher’s lips without the need to raise his head, so he licked it and tongued Jordan’s cockslit one more time before letting go and cupping his balls, trying to determine if they were noticeably lighter. “So ball stuff, eh?”

“Yeah man,” Jordan answered in a happy tone. “It’s _intense._ You wanna try it?” He tickled Asher’s sack.

“Uh.” Asher flinched and resisted the urge to pull away. “I didn’t shave mine.”

Jordan laughed. “I don’t care. They look hot like this.” He trailed his fingertips over Asher’s wrinkled, fuzzy sack. “I just thought you’d be more open to sucking mine if I shaved.”

Asher nodded against Jordan’s thigh. He was starting to feel self conscious but wasn’t ready to get up. “You were right. It woulda been weird sucking your hairy nuts.”

“Glad sucking my smooth nuts wasn’t weird.” Jordan smirked and stroked Asher’s cock.

Asher bucked into his hand, feeling the precum oozing from his tip and leaking into Jordan’s palm. Jordan took his hand away and Asher looked up to find him licking it.

“So good, man,” Jordan answered with a grin as he sat up and Asher finally turned onto his back. “I can’t wait for you to cum in my mouth. Like I think this is why they call it being thirsty – because I fucking want a drink!”

Asher laughed and folded his arms behind his head. “I’m ready to give you one. But, uh, I’ll pass on the ball play.”

“Okay.” 

They repositioned, with Asher lying back against the pillows and Jordan hunched between his legs ready to blow him, but at the last second Jordan got up and leaned over Asher, their faces close.

“What?” 

“You’re really awesome, bro.” Jordan brushed Asher’s cheek with his thumb and kissed him slow and deep before crawling back down between his legs.

“You’re awesome too,” Asher whispered as Jordan jerked his cock and sucked on the end. 

He closed his eyes and let the sensations wash over him: the wet heat sinking further and further down his shaft, the heavy warmth pooling along his inner thigh as Jordan rubbed him with his free hand, the excited flush radiating from his groin into his stomach and chest, the lingering tingle of sparks on his cheek and lips.

Jordan’s blew him hard and fast for a couple minutes before slowing down. 

“Oh fuck, Jordan!” Asher’s head swam as the pleasure seemed to catch up to him and then overwhelm him. 

Jordan released his grip on Asher’s thigh and traced the outline of his hip a few times before resting his hand on Asher’s stomach. 

Asher tangled their fingers together and tightened his abs as their thumbs chased each other around his navel, the game seeming to spur Jordan’s pace faster again.

“Mmm, oh. That’s it.” Asher bucked his hips and writhed as Jordan slurped and bobbed – bringing him to, but not quite over, the edge. “Please.” His breath hitched and he couldn’t catch it again as he begged. “I _need_ to get off.”

Jordan hooked his thumb around Asher’s and held it in place against his navel as he swallowed him to the hilt and hummed.

Waves of sizzling energy arced down Asher’s spine and poured out of his crotch – then arced back up his spine and flooded his brain.

_Oh fuck!_

He cried out and gripped Jordan’s hand as his senses overloaded and he melted into the mattress. Only his cock remained hard, hard and fucking _quaking_ as he pumped torrent after torrent of jizz down Jordan’s throat.

When it was finally over, Asher gasped and collapsed against the bed, his head spinning and black spots flickering across his field of vision.

“See.” Jordan’s voice was rough and ragged. He coughed and cleared his throat. “Epic blow job, just like I promised.”

* * *

“I should make a TikTok!” Jordan said the next night as they lay in his bed. He nudged Asher’s side with his elbow and paused the video they were watching.

“What?”

“Yeah, we could do it together. Like, like we could throw the football, but edit it to make it look like it’s turning into something, like a cake. Or a water balloon. Ooh, or maybe like a rolled up towel that lands in a hamper.”

“How would we set that up?” Asher asked.

Jordan shrugged. “Maybe there’s like a tutorial or a behind the scenes on YouTube.”

“I dunno, bro, they might shut down TikTok, and then we’d have a bunch of football cakes laying around with nothing to do with ‘em.”

“We could eat ‘em,” Jordan answered.

Asher nodded slowly. “We could eat ‘em.”

Jordan handed Asher his phone and sat up, so that he could re-stack the pillows behind them on his bed. When he was done, he wound an arm around Asher’s bare shoulders and guided him against his chest.

Asher passed Jordan his phone back and settled in, draping one arm over Jordan and laying his head on his chest. He could still see the phone screen, and the TV screen too if they ever got around to picking and starting a movie. It was already late, and he was pretty sure he would end up falling asleep in Jordan’s bed.

“Let’s film the football part tomorrow. Then we can deal with the cake or towel or whatever part later,” Jordan said, idly clicking to let the next video play.

“Okay,” Asher answered, only half paying attention to the antics on screen as his hand drifted down Jordan’s side, pausing over his hip as he reached the waistband of his briefs.

Jordan chuckled and rubbed Asher’s lower back. “Did you have a different kind of filming in mind?”

“Huh?”

“OnlyFans perhaps?” 

Asher huffed and swatted Jordan’s hip.

“Seriously though,” Jordan’s voice deepened with lust. “Wanna trade blowies before we turn on the movie?”

Asher sat up and nodded. “Yeah.”

“Good, I wanna do something new,” Jordan said as he flipped the covers back and shimmied out of his briefs, his cock already half-hard.

“Don’t you always?” Asher asked with a smirk as he shucked his underwear off. Two days ago it had been lying crotch-to-crotch grinding on each other’s cocks and last night Jordan had requested that Asher suck his balls – and that wasn’t even taking into consideration all the other new activities Jordan had led them into.

“Pretty much, yeah.” Jordan’s reached out and cupped Asher’s limp dick. They both watched as it swelled and stiffened in his palm. “There’s always something new to try when it comes to sex.”

“That’s a really good attitude, man,” Asher said as he patted Jordan’s arm and squeezed his bicep. He sat back on his ankles. “So what’s it gonna be tonight?”

Jordan brushed his thumb over Asher’s cockhead before withdrawing his hand. He gave Asher a hopeful look as his tongue flicked out and moistened his lips. “I wanna eat your ass.” 

“What?!” Asher’s stomach tensed and he involuntarily tightened his asscheeks. No one had ever done _that_ to him before.

“I wanna eat your ass,” Jordan repeated, his voice dropping an octave. “I’ve been staring at it all day if you haven’t noticed.”

“I mean, I noticed but” –Asher shrugged– “it just seemed like a typical Tuesday.”

“So” –Jordan licked his lips again and arched his brow– “Can I?”

“Uh…” Asher’s ass clenched again and he shook his head. “No.”

Jordan’s face dropped and he blinked at Asher. “Seriously?! I can’t?”

A wave of embarrassed heat warmed Asher’s face and chest. “Nope, sorry man.”

“Why not?” Jordan’s brew drew together and he pouted his lips.

Asher frowned and shrugged. “I’m just not comfortable with you, like, licking my asshole.”

“It’ll feel good though,” Jordan answered. “I’ve had mine eaten out before. It’s real nice. I think you’ll like it.”

“No,” Asher repeated in a firm tone.

“Ugh.” Jordan sighed and sagged against the pillows. “Well then can I finger you?”

“Still no.”

Jordan narrowed his eyes and scowled. “Can I at least spread your cheeks wide and stare at your hole while you blow me?”

“Could you just leave my ass alone?” Asher asked with a glare.

“I guess I’ll have to,” Jordan muttered. He patted the mattress. “Fine, let’s just sixty-nine like normal. I’ll be good, I promise.”

Asher played with his dick and remained where he was instead of getting into position. He didn’t _owe_ Jordan an explanation, but he felt like he should give him one anyway. “It’s just…”

Jordan shifted closer, spreading his legs around Asher’s knee and rubbing his shoulder. “Yeah?”

Asher grumbled and looked up. “I haven’t showered since this morning. If we were gonna do something like… _that,_ I’d wanna be freshly showered for it.”

Jordan’s face lit up. “Seriously? Is that all that’s holding us back? Dude, go shower! Take your time. I can wait. I just want some ass action.”

Asher groaned and looked away from Jordan’s intense grin. “Can we just not tonight? I wanna think about it first.”

“Okay.” Jordan nodded and rubbed Asher’s shoulders. “I don’t wanna do anything you’re not comfortable with. If you decide ass stuff is a no, that’s fine.”

“You won’t be disappointed?”

“No, I will.” Jordan answered with an earnest nod. “I’ll be very disappointed. I’ve wanted to mess with your ass so bad for so long!”

Asher huffed. “It hasn’t even been a full month since...” He waved his hand. “All this started.”

“A month is a long time to want ass, bro.”

Asher rolled his eyes.

“But it’s fine.” Jordan squeezed Asher’s neck and kissed his cheek. “I’ll survive if you don’t wanna do it. It’s like we were just saying, there’s always _something_ new to do in sex.”

“Okay.” Asher nodded, relaxing a little now that they had talked it out.

“ _But_ if you want, you can definitely do stuff to my ass.” Jordan waggled his brow and smirked. “Eat it, finger it, play with it, whatever – I’m down.”

Asher tilted his head. “Whatever?”

“Yeah, _whatever._ ”

“Like _whatever?_ ” Asher repeated arching his brow.

“Yes. What. Ever,” Jordan answered, punctuating each word with a nod. He threw his hands up. “I’m offering to let you fuck me.”

“Wow…”

“You don’t have to.” Jordan bumped Asher’s shoulder. “I’m just sayin’, my ass is on the table.”

Asher snickered and rolled his eyes. “Can you not phrase it that way? I have to eat on the table.”

“I didn’t say which table.”

Asher sighed.

“Fine, my ass is on the _menu._ Is that better?”

Asher snickered and shook his head. “It’s really not.”

Jordan growled and waved a hand. “Just lemme know if you wanna fuck me, or _whatever._ Jeez.”

“Okay.” Asher nodded.

“So I guess let’s just suck each other off.”

“Actually…” Asher climbed off the bed.

Jordan looked alarmed and then apologetic. “Where you going?” 

“Not far.” Asher sank to his knees and patted the edge of the bed, motioning for Jordan to slide forward and sit there. “How ‘bout you come over here and gimme a Baker Surprise?”

“Seriously?” Jordan’s face lit up and he wasted no time scooting into position.

“Yeah bro, let’s do it.” Asher held still and let Jordan smack his face a few times with his cock.

“Hey, one thing,” Jordan said as Asher jerked him and prepared to take him in his mouth.

“Huh?”

“The surprise is like the best part, so if it’s cool, I’m not gonna give you a heads up before I do it. In fact I’m gonna try not to let on that I’m about to blow. Then when the time comes I wanna just yank your head back and hose you down.”

Asher frowned up at him.

“I’ll be gentle. Just make sure to close your eyes.”

“Fine.”

Jordan let out a soft moan as Asher’s lips slid over his glans and down his shaft. Asher stopped halfway, bowed his tongue, and worked his way back up, stopping to lap the precum off Jordan’s tip before going back down on him and sinking lower this time.

“Ahh. That’s it. Keep your lips tight, Ash.”

Asher did just that, maintaining a tight seal as he bobbed his head. He flinched as Jordan cupped the back of his head.

Jordan smirked down at him and rubbed his scalp.

Asher sighed and focused on not choking as he buried his nose in Jordan’s pubes. 

“Admit it, it’s exciting not knowing when it’s gonna happen.”

Asher shrugged and bobbed his head faster. It was more nerve-racking than exciting…but sort of in the same way that an intense game was. 

“Ahh, I’m gonna–”

Asher tensed and closed his eyes as Jordan’s fingers tightened in his hair.

Jordan laughed.

“–lay back and let you do your thing.”

Asher flipped him off as he flopped back against the mattress.

Over the next several minutes Jordan’s breathing gradually accelerated and he eased back up until he was propped on one elbow. Asher kept looking up at him, studying his face, hyper aware of every pulse and flutter of his cock, every twitch of his balls.

“I could go all night.” Jordan’s voice had a tight edge to it. “Or bust now if I wanted to.”

Asher’s heart quickened. It definitely sounded like he wanted to.

He let out a deep, satisfied sigh. “It’s too good to let it end now.”

Asher massaged his balls and vigorously tongued the underside of his cock, trying to make him reconsider and bring him off on his own terms.

“Fuck yeah, that feels way too good to stop now.”

Asher grunted and swallowed Jordan to the hilt in one go. They didn’t call it ‘ _making_ someone cum’ for no reason. Asher was in control here, not Jordan.

Jordan’s breathing stopped and his hand froze on the back of Asher’s head. When Asher looked up, he found him holding his breath, desperation gradually building on his face.

Asher looked him in the eye and grinned around his cock.

Jordan gasped and yanked Asher’s head back, his erection turning to pure steel and his balls lurching up.

Asher closed his eyes and mouth as a thick, hot rope of cum spattered across the bridge of his nose and over his lips. The next volley sprayed the left side of his face, soaking his forehead and cheek and dribbling down his eyebrow to pool in his eyelashes. He opened his mouth as Jordan exploded against his lips, and swallowed him back down as he finished.

“Hold still and keep your eye closed.”

Asher gasped as Jordan hunched over him and licked his closed eyelid. His mouth was still open as Jordan’s tongue slipped inside and he again tasted cum.

He knelt upright between Jordan’s legs, making it easier for Jordan to kiss him as they snowballed the mouthful of jizz and spit back and forth a few times before Jordan broke the kiss with the load in Asher’s mouth.

Jordan curled a finger under Asher’s chin and tilted his head up, his thumb pressed to Asher’s lips. “Swallow.”

Asher did.

“Now,” –Jordan got off the bed and stood, turning them both around with his hands on Asher’s upper arms as he stood too– “why don’t you give me an Adams’ Surprise?”

“Huh?” Asher chuckled and sat on the bed as Jordan squatted between his legs. 

“Go on.” He licked Asher’s very hard, quivering erection. “Surprise me.”

Asher let out a long sigh and lay back as Jordan set to work pleasuring him. “I can do that.”

A few minutes later he was wiping his cum off Jordan’s face with his briefs, and a few minutes after that they were arguing about which movie to watch. Asher won out, but his victory was short-lived as he fell asleep against Jordan’s chest twenty minutes into _Jurassic World._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! As you might have guessed, next chapter they’ll move into anal action. That and this chapter were originally going to be combined, but I decided to split them instead. So there are still three chapters remaining.
> 
> Feedback is greatly appreciated!


	11. How and When

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains smut…but still not quite their first time going all the way.

Asher awoke the next morning with Jordan nuzzled under his arm, lying with his face buried against Asher’s chest and breathing in a way just shy of snoring.

Asher stretched, taking his time waking his tired muscles before relaxing again and tugging the sheets higher to cover Jordan’s bare shoulder and torso. He didn’t move, and Asher gave in to the impulse to kiss the top of his head and trace lazy fingers down his side.

Jordan sighed and turned his head, his lips brushing Asher’s pec. 

“You awake?” Asher whispered, wishing he could reach his phone on Jordan’s nightstand so he could see the time.

Jordan made no response.

Asher needed to pee, but also…

He shifted and spread his legs, giving his hard, confined dick the freedom it needed to tent the bedsheets. It was full and sensitive, twitching as if to remind him that he was lying in bed with someone who would be more than willing to play with it if he woke him up…but he had to pee.

He grumbled and eased Jordan up enough to slide out of bed.

“Ash?” Jordan’s voice was raspy and tired.

A glance at Asher’s phone told him why. It was only a few minutes after eight AM.

“It’s okay.” Asher patted Jordan’s arm. “Go back to sleep.”

“Stay,” Jordan whined, hiding his face against the mattress.

“I’ll be back,” Asher answered with a chuckle as he nudged Jordan with the pillow and slipped it under his head when he stirred.

Asher entered Jordan’s en suite bathroom with every intention of doing his business and rejoining him in bed for another few hours of sleep and probable morning hand jobs when they woke up. But as he thought about those hand jobs – and struggled to keep his stream confined to the toilet bowl – he recalled Jordan’s request from the night before. 

Did he want Jordan to eat or finger his ass? The idea had been overwhelming when Jordan sprang it on him, but now in the quiet hours of the early morning it didn’t seem nearly as daunting. It would probably feel good, and they’d probably both enjoy it. It would be weird having someone touch him there, especially with their mouth, but…it would be kinda hot too. Really hot. Kinky and dirty and fun. And Asher had all the time he could want or need to get ready. Anyway, there was no reason _not_ to take a thorough shower, or better yet a long bath, and then see if he was still in the mood and if Jordan still wanted to.

He flushed the toilet, washed his hands, and crept out of Jordan’s bathroom. Jordan was sound asleep again, this time full on snoring, albeit lightly. Asher grabbed his dirty clothes from the floor and made his way back to his room.

Forty minutes later he was very relaxed, very clean, and very ready to wake Jordan.

He left his towel on his bed and re-entered Jordan’s room naked – just the way he’d left it.

“Hey,” Asher whispered as he slipped beneath the covers and scooted against Jordan’s back. And ass. He was already half-hard thinking about what was likely going to happen, and the direct contact quickly brought him to full mast.

Jordan didn’t answer, but he curled his fingers around Asher’s wrist as Asher wound an arm around his chest.

Asher rocked his hips and tried to stay chill as the base of his erection nestled into the cleft of Jordan’s ass. 

“Mmm.” Jordan huffed a lazy laugh. “Well good morning to you too.”

Asher chuckled and leaned over Jordan’s ear as he took another deliberate thrust. “What can I say? I got up early.”

Jordan tightened his grip on Asher’s wrist and nuzzled back against his chest as he wiggled his backside against Asher’s cock. “So, it seems like you’ve reconsidered doing ass stuff.”

Asher thought it over one more time and swallowed. “I have.”

“Okay.” Jordan sounded very awake now, and his body tensed in Asher’s arms. “Lemme take a quick shower.”

“If you want.” Asher tugged his arm away so he could reach between their bodies and grip his cock. He tapped it a few times against Jordan’s cleft and rubbed the tip against his lower back. “But I think this is misleading you. I’ve reconsidered letting _you_ do ass stuff to _me._ And uh, I’ve already showered, so…if you want we can get right into it.”

Jordan let out an excited yelp and rolled over, slotting their legs together and sliding in close. He grinned at Asher with bright, happy eyes. “You mean it?” 

“Yeah.”

Their cocks were already touching, so Asher canted his hips and ground against Jordan’s erection. Their fingers tangled beneath the sheets as they both reached to hold their cocks together at the same time. Asher shivered as his glans kissed Jordan’s. How many more times would he need to cant his hips until it became a wet, drooling kiss? Not many based on past experience.

“What can I do to your ass?” Jordan asked as he let go of their cocks and clutched Asher’s asscheek.

“Finger it or rim it I guess.” Asher had barely finished the sentence before Jordan’s fingers dipped into his crack. 

“Oh my god, yes!” Jordan reached deeper and his fingertip grazed Asher’s pucker. 

Asher’s stomach lurched and he swallowed against his anxiety. 

“Goddamn, this is hot!” Jordan wedged his hand deeper, his knuckles pressing the inner valley of Asher’s crack as he ran all four fingers up and down over Asher’s asshole. 

Asher pushed him away and glared as they both sat up.

“What’s wrong?” Jordan raised his hands, glancing at the one that had been in Asher’s ass. “You said I could.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t say you could strum my butthole like it’s a guitar.” Asher held the glare as he shifted out from under the covers and knelt on the bed. 

Jordan chuckled and tossed back his side of the covers, revealing his nude body and swollen, veiny cock. “I can’t even play the guitar” –he motioned at Asher’s ass as he knelt beside him on the bed– “but this…!”

Asher folded his arms.

“C’mon bro.” Jordan squeezed Asher’s shoulder and ran his hand down Asher’s arm. “I’ll slow down, but don’t be mad that I’m excited.” 

Asher hesitated before leaning in and kissing him. His tongue slipped between Jordan’s lips as he bucked against his crotch. 

One–, two–, three thrusts later and the tip of Jordan’s dick was drooling against the underside of Asher’s shaft. He readjusted with his hand, making sure Jordan’s precum leaked right where he wanted it: against his own throbbing, tingling cockhead.

Jordan clutched Asher’s hips, spurring him on and grinding just as feverishly for about a minute before pulling back and breaking the kiss. “This feels awesome, but–”

“Yeah.” Asher flicked his tongue over Jordan’s lips as he rolled his thumb and fingertips over their nerve-packed tips. 

“But I really wanna do the ass stuff.” Jordan’s tone was all but pleading as he arched his brow. “Will you turn around?”

Tempted as he was to say no and focus on the familiar crotch-to-crotch action that would reliably get them both off hard, all without ever having to leave his comfort zone, Asher nevertheless got on his hands and knees and angled his ass back toward toward Jordan.

Jordan let out a throaty sigh. “That’s good but…” He reached around Asher and gripped his forearms as he nudged him down onto his elbows. “I want you really spread, okay?” With one hand on Asher’s upper back and the other on his hip, he pushed his chest against the mattress and prompted him to raise his ass higher and pop it back further. “Yeah, that’s it. Show it _all_ to me, Ash,” he whispered into his ear before leaning back.

Asher closed his eyes and buried his face in the bunched duvet. 

“Fuck yeah.” Jordan’s fingertip tapped the center of Asher’s asshole.

Asher automatically tensed it, then forced himself to relax.

“Aww yeah, that’s hot.” Jordan’s finger disappeared for a second. When it returned it was wet. “Do that again.”

Asher released a shaky breath and flexed his hole against the pad of Jordan’s finger.

“Mmm.” Jordan’s finger swirled around the rim of Asher’s puckered mound, teasing the wrinkled skin and the smattering of hairs that lined the perimeter and grew in his crack and across his taint. 

“Uh, I was gonna shave, but I was worried I’d cut myself.” Asher’s face burned. “And also, um, using my regular razor there seemed kinda gross.”

“It’s whatever, dude.” Jordan rubbed a heavy hand up and down Asher’s crack, touching him everywhere. “It makes it different from girls in a cool way. Your ass is a different shape too.”

“Uhm, okay.”

“And of course every asshole is a little bit different.” Jordan tapped and swirled his finger.

“I guess…”

“I’m not used to all this when it comes to assplay though.” Jordan cupped and jiggled Asher’s balls. “It’s fine, but looking at pussy is hotter.”

Something twisted in Asher’s gut. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

“Nah, it’s great!” Jordan patted Asher’s asscheek and reached between his legs to jerk his cock. “Plus I _really_ like your dick. I wouldn’t, like, trade it away for a pussy or anything. It’s just this particular angle is sexier with girls. Anyway, I’m kinda just thinkin’ out loud and figuring stuff out.”

“Maybe shut up?” Asher muttered.

If Jordan heard him, he didn’t comply. “The urge to fuck’s just as strong though. I wanna mount you so bad right now.”

Asher’s eyes widened and he started to get up.

“I won’t.” Jordan rubbed his back and guided him back down. “I just want to.” He laughed. “Actually the difference is, usually it’s like a _Sophie’s Choice_ situation, where I’m looking at pussy and asshole and trying to decide which one I wanna fuck more. Here I only have one very appealing option.”

“I don’t think that’s quite the same as _Sophie’s Choice…_ ” Asher frowned into the comforter. He had seen the movie in a modern history class the previous semester.

“Well metaphorically.” Jordan patted Asher’s hip. “I’m gonna lick it.”

Asher clenched the comforter and braced himself, still surprised when he felt Jordan’s face press against his asscheeks, followed a moment later by– 

“Oh god!”

It was much warmer and wetter than Asher had expected and– Ooh, fuck. Jordan was flicking his hole with the tip of his tongue.

Jordan gripped Asher’s hips and pulled him back, and Asher was more than happy to comply, spreading his knees and trying to impale himself on the slick, writhing muscle that was lighting up nerves he barely knew he had.

“You like it,” Jordan said, his forehead pressed against Asher’s backside. Asher could _feel_ him smirking into his asscheeks.

“I like it,” Asher confirmed, reaching down to stroke himself and trying to get used to the sensation of Jordan’s breath gusting against his quivering hole. “Do you?”

“Oh, I like it!” Jordan licked a long, wet stripe from Asher’s taint up his crack, taking his time swirling his tongue around Asher’s asshole before completing the tract up Asher’s cleft. He gripped Asher’s asscheeks in each hand and squeezed and jiggled them. “Fuck, fuck, fuck yeah!” He spread Asher wide and spit on his asshole.

Asher sucked air through his teeth and closed his eyes as Jordan dove back in, tongue-fucking him and roughly kneading his asscheeks.

“Can I rub it with my cock?” Jordan asked as he came up for air a few minutes later.

Asher nodded against the comforter and raised his head. “You can’t put it in though.”

“Okay.” 

Jordan got on his knees and Asher tensed.

“Oh fuck!” they declared in unison as Jordan made contact.

Jordan’s knob was much thicker, much more rounded, much more _comfortable_ than his finger and even his tongue had been, and all Asher could think in that moment was how much he wanted to take back the prohibition he had given seconds earlier, how much he _wanted_ Jordan to put it in. His asshole fluttered, gripping the plush tip of Jordan dick. It was all Asher could do not to sit on it.

“I really wanna fuck you,” Jordan said, rubbing his cock back and forth and smacking Asher’s hole with it.

Asher didn’t say anything but resumed jerking himself off with a noisy, intense abandon. Jordan could draw his own conclusions.

“Can I cum on it?”

“No!” Asher blurted out, his arm freezing mid-jerk. It was scary how much he _liked_ that idea, but it seemed crazy risky. What if Jordan’s cum leaked inside? Couldn’t he catch something like that? 

Jordan groaned and patted Asher’s hip, his cock disappearing from against Asher’s hole. “Turn over.”

“Are you done?” Asher heard the disappointment in his own voice as he let go of his erection and rolled onto his back. 

“Not even close,” Jordan answered intently as he gripped Asher’s thighs and wrenched him closer before grabbing a pillow and slipping it under Asher's head. “I wanna really get in there!”

“What are you– Oh!” Asher blinked as Jordan lifted his hips and ass off the bed. He complied, scooting closer to Jordan and rolling back onto his shoulders.

“Hold your ankles.”

Asher’s heart pounded as he did just that, his knees on either side of his face and his feet extended out past his head. If he thought he was exposed to Jordan before, now he was basically _just_ an asshole, crack, and taint from Jordan’s perspective. He felt so fucking objectified. And vulnerable. And turned the fuck on.

Jordan licked him and spit on his hole. “Gah, how have you had this hidden in your pants all these years and I’m just seein’ it?”

Asher chuckled. “You’re pretty much the only person who’s _ever_ seen it.”

“Aww man, Ash.” Jordan rubbed two fingers around Asher’s puckered mound, then drummed his fingertips rapidly against his tingling opening. “You gotta show this thing off!”

Asher rolled his eyes and pulled his legs further back. “You gonna actually finger me or just keep teasing?”

Jordan slapped an asscheek hard enough for it to sting just a little. “You want me to?”

“Yeah.” Asher was so fucking ready to be penetrated by something. His hole was tingling and fluttering, more alive with sensation than he had ever experienced. 

“You got it.” Jordan rubbed Asher’s cheek where he had smacked it and slurped on his finger. An instant later– 

“Oh _god!_ ” Asher closed his eyes and let the wholly unprecedented sensations wash over him as Jordan slid into him up to the last knuckle.

“Mmm.” Jordan curled his finger. “I can never get over how warm the inside of someone’s ass – or pussy – is. Just fucking made to be fucked.”

Asher released a shaky breath and clenched around Jordan’s finger as Jordan eased it in and out of him, dragging back and forth over the nerves around his hole and lighting sparks in his core.

“You’re made to be fucked too, bro.”

Asher let the idea roll around in his head as he released one of his ankles so he could snake a hand between his thigh and abdomen and jerk himself off.

“I gotta lick it some more!” Jordan kept his finger in place but wedged his face into Asher’s crack beside it as he flicked his tongue and hummed.

“Uhunh yeah.” Asher’s cock was practically in his face as he stroked it, and he was so turned on he could barely breathe as it throbbed and a bead of precum drooled out, hanging in the air just over his chin. “Oh man, I’m fuckin’ leaking!”

Jordan moaned and slapped Asher’s hip. 

Asher let the precum dribble onto his face as Jordan grunted and slipped a second finger into him.

Jordan raised his head and looked at Asher from over his thighs as his fingers twirled and probed inside him. “I’m looking for your prostate.”

“How will you know when you find it?” Asher’s face burned as a string of precum dangled between his chin and his swollen, purply cockhead. 

“I think you’ll be able to tell me,” Jordan answered with a smirk as he curled his fingers.

Asher shook his head. “I don’t know if mine is very sens–” He chocked on his tongue and let out a gurgling moan.

“Ah, yeah, I feel it now.” Jordan tapped and stroked at the glowing, sparking place inside Asher. “Girls don’t have this lump here.”

Asher gasped for breath and his eyes rolled back. “Those poor girls.”

Jordan laughed and strummed his fingers against the spot. “You like this, huh?”

Asher nodded and moved his leg, trying to give himself better access to his cock as he jerked it harder and faster.

“You like it a lot dontcha?”

“Yeah.” Asher’s voice was ragged and tight.

“Convince me.”

Asher opened his mouth and let a string of moans and grunts slip out before he even tried to form words. “Feels _sooo_ fuckin’ good!”

“Yeah?” Jordan shifted on his knees and his erection grazed Asher’s back. He was jerking himself with his other hand.

“Mmhmm.” Asher let out a long, guttural moan as Jordan finger-fucked him harder.

“You want my cock don’t you?”

Asher’s whole body shook and heat sizzled inside him, engulfing his cock and ass. “Uh huh.”

Jordan trembled and bumped Asher’s back as he jacked himself faster. “Aww yeah you do. You want my wet cockhead pounding this swollen, needy lump.”

“I fucking do,” Asher whined as Jordan ground his fingers and Asher felt it all the way _up_ in his toes and _down_ in his chest.

“You want me to cum in your ass don’t you?”

Asher nodded as he got closer to blasting all over his face. His precum was already dribbling down his cheek toward his ear, his cock a quivering rod of steel and nerves in his hand.

“Say it.” Jordan twisted his hand, denying Asher a fraction of a second before he would have hit the point of no return. “Say you want me to cum in your ass.”

“I want– I want–” Asher panted, his head spinning as he rode the wave. “I want you to c-c-”

“Say it!”

“Cum in my _ass!_ ” Asher’s toes curled in the air and he squeezed his eyes shut as his cock spewed all over his face.

Jordan yelped and his fingers spasmed inside Asher as he painted Asher’s back with hot spunk. “That’s it.” His voice trembled as he kept shooting and grinding his fingers deep inside Asher clenching hole. “Jizz all over yourself.”

Asher gasped for air, spraying his tongue with cum in the process. 

Jordan whined and thrust against Asher’s sloppy-slick back as Asher dribbled the last of his load into his mouth and swallowed, enjoying the way Jordan’s cock throbbed against his back in response.

“Aww fuck.” Jordan panted and pulled his fingers out.

Asher’s hole fluttered, tingly and relaxed in a way it never had been. A satisfied heat radiated inside him. His eyes were squeezed shut by necessity – he had effectively given himself an Adams’ Surprise – so he didn’t expect it when Jordan licked his asshole again.

“Whoa!”

Jordan laughed and fingered him a couple more times. “Sensitive, right?”

“Yeah.” Asher shifted awkwardly on the bed. Jordan’s cum was dribbling further up his back, some of it reaching the comforter, and every time he opened his mouth more of his own spunk dribbled in. “Can you, uh, help?”

Jordan chuckled and eased Asher back against the bed, apparently unconcerned about the mess happening underneath him. This was more or less confirmed as he used the edge of the sheet to wipe Asher’s face.

“Whew, bro, that was historic,” Jordan said.

“Yeah.” Asher opened his eyes, his body fully relaxed and slack against the bed – even if he was lying in a wet spot. “We made a mess.”

“Yep!” Jordan seemed very happy about that.

“You wanna clean up and then go chill in my bed for awhile?”

“Yeah, but first…” Jordan hopped off the bed and sprinted into his bathroom. There was a loud thunk and a laugh as he raised the toilet lid. “I’ve had to piss since you woke me up!”

“I woulda waited!” Asher shouted as he heard Jordan’s heavy stream and felt bad that he’d been holding it.

“Well uh, to be honest…” Jordan chuckled awkwardly, the sound of his stream intensifying. “Kinda made it better.”

“Ugh.” Asher snickered and rolled onto Jordan’s side of the bed. 

They each had a couple online classes to attend that afternoon, but since they had a few hours they ended up taking a nap in Asher’s bed while Jordan’s sheets washed. 

Jordan set his alarm literally two minutes before his first class started and didn’t bother putting on pants or underwear, opting for only a shirt as he sat at Asher’s desk. 

Asher stayed in bed on his phone, careful to keep his legs out of frame. 

“Hey Ash, look.” The chair creaked.

Asher looked up to find Jordan with his chin resting on one hand and the other under the desk playing with himself.

“I’m on mute,” Jordan said into his hand.

“Don’t you think you should pay attention to class?”

“Yeah, I’m missing alota notes…you wanna help me out?” 

“What?” Asher could just make out the smirk on Jordan’s face from his profile.

Jordan tapped his thumb against his cockhead, showing Asher the resulting string of precum before moving both hands to the keyboard and typing something. “ _Someone_ needs to show my dick some love and I’m busy.”

“You’re on mute, Mr Baker.”

Asher froze as the professor interrupted his lecture about chemical reactions to address Jordan directly.

Jordan clicked the mouse. “Sorry, I was just asking if you could repeat that please, sir.”

The professor did and Jordan resumed typing.

“I’m on mute again,” Jordan mumbled into his hand a little while later. “Please Ash. It’d be so hot if you sucked me off while I was in class. I’ll return the favor later.”

Asher thought about it for a few seconds, his own dick hardening at the prospect. He was still completely naked. 

“Fine, tilt the camera the other way.”

Jordan leaned the other way and adjusted the webcam to follow him. 

Asher climbed out of bed and edged around the perimeter of the room as Jordan watched him from the corner of his eye and stroked himself under the desk.

When he got close enough, Asher dropped to his knees and crawled the rest of the way. He squeezed past the chair and Jordan’s legs and wedged himself into the space beneath the desk.

Jordan lowered the chair all the way and scooted in as far as he could get.

Asher wasn’t sure there would be room for them to repeat this later with Jordan in his place – he was a good bit taller after all – but there was enough space for Asher to wrap his lips around Jordan’s erection and rock his head back and forth a few inches.

Objectively, this definitely wasn’t one of Asher’s better blow jobs, but the kinky, illicit nature of it – of having Jordan’s professor drone on about solvents and chain reactions, of knowing that Jordan’s classmates could see him on camera, oblivious to what was happening out of frame – had Asher reaching for his own cock as he slurped on Jordan’s.

“Oh _fuck!_ ” Jordan’s cock mirrored the pleasured excitement in his voice, throbbing and leaking in Asher’s mouth.

Asher hummed and moaned, loud and unrestrained as he rubbed himself on Jordan’s calf before backing off and letting Jordan’s erection fall from his lips.

“Take yourself off mute.” 

“What?!”

Asher stroked himself again and choked on the ragged sigh that tried to escape his throat. “Take yourself off mute, point the camera right at your face, and remain absolutely calm and quiet as you cum down my throat.”

“Fuck…Okay!” Jordan shifted around in his seat before flashing Asher a thumbs up under the desk. “Excuse me, professor, I have a question.”

Oh shit! Jordan really was upping the ante. 

“Yes?”

Asher took a quiet breath and swallowed him as far as he could in the confined space.

“Oh, um, what happens if the reaction occurs under higher pressure, does that affect anything?”

“Yes. By manipulating pressure, chemists can force chemical reactions that wouldn’t normally occur to occur and the transitions between solids, liquids, and gases to accelerate. However…”

Asher bobbed his head, careful to keep from slurping as he laved Jordan’s glans with his tongue.

Jordan’s knee trembled and Asher tapped his cock against Jordan’s calf.

“Yeah, t-tell me more.”

Asher jerked the base of Jordan’s cock, eager to pleasure the inches he couldn’t reach with his lips. 

The professor grunted. “I will if you’d stop interrupting.”

Asher let go of his own erection so he could cup Jordan’s balls and caress them with his fingertips.

“Oh good yes, please go on.”

“Okay…This potential exists because chemicals can change dramatically at extremely high pressures. For instance, carbon is used for a variety of applications including…”

Asher jerked Jordan’s cock faster and bowed his tongue around the underside of Jordan’s shaft, trapping his cockhead against the roof his mouth as he bobbed his head, all the while rolling and gently kneading Jordan’s balls.

“Uhn.” Jordan’s knee jerked.

“Excuse me?”

Asher wiggled and thrust against Jordan’s calf, desperate for more stimulation of his own. 

“This is just really fascinating.” Jordan shifted his leg, moving it close enough to Asher’s crotch to trap Asher’s erection between Jordan’s calf and his own inner thigh.

Asher strained not to cry out as he rocked back and forth, bobbing his head and thrusting into the flesh cave they had created for his cock.

The professor continued and so did Asher. Jordan’s balls trembled and lurched in Asher’s hand and his cock stiffened in Asher’s mouth. Asher flicked his tongue and it was all over.

“Oh god, I love chemistry!” Jordan slammed his hand against the desk.

Asher jumped, and bucked, and fucking lost it. Two more thrusts and he was exploding between their legs as he held his breath and let Jordan’s cum flood his mouth and dribble down his chin and throat. His heart hammered, his chest burned, and his head spun – and his cock pulsed and shot _so good_ he was sure he would pass out.

“Could you please try to curb your enthusiasm, Mr Baker? We have a lot to get through.”

“I can’t wait,” Jordan said with a sigh. He shifted in the chair and his leg sagged, releasing Asher’s trembling cock. “I’m on mute again.”

Asher coughed and sputtered, letting the rest of Jordan’s cum gush down the front of his body unswallowed as he frantically jerked his cock, still riding the tail end of his orgasm. “Oh fuck.” He wiped Jordan’s cum off his chest and slathered it all over his cock. “I’m gonna need to go again. Stay on mute.”

Jordan chuckled and bumped Asher’s knee with his foot. “Knock yourself out, man.”

Asher almost did as he relived what they had just done and stroked hard and fast for the next several minutes. His whole body shook, his wrist hurt, and his groin strained, but his cock never softened and it felt achingly good the whole time. Finally as the professor was announcing Jordan’s homework assignment, Asher squealed and dribbled a few more drops of cum, the intensity of his orgasm comically out of step with the volume of his ejaculate.

“Good one?” Jordan asked, rolling the chair back to look at Asher.

“Fuck yeah,” Asher answered with a loopy grin, still fisting his cock and contorted into a position that would definitely have him sore later. “I need another nap.”

Jordan laughed and shook his head sympathetically. “Pretty sure you have class in like five minutes.”

Asher groaned and accepted the hand Jordan offered him as he got up. He collapsed in the chair while Jordan got him a damp towel to clean up.

“Fuck, I’m naked!” Asher glanced at the time on his computer. He needed to log on like _now_.

Jordan grinned at him and shucked off his shirt. “Here. Just don’t get up.”

Asher put Jordan’s shirt on and rolled up close to the desk. His back was stiff and his right arm twinged and tingled.

“I’m happy to hold up my end of the bargain if you wanna go for three?” Jordan made the blow job motion with his hand and cheek.

Asher laughed and adjusted his completely limp dick. “Gonna need a raincheck.” 

“You got it.” Jordan patted Asher’s shoulder and strolled to the door, his butt bouncing. “I think my sheets are ready.”

Asher found himself surprisingly relaxed and focused during class.

* * *

“Thanks for earlier,” Jordan whispered as he rubbed Asher’s chest. They were back in Jordan’s bed for the night after having had a big late lunch, a walk in the park, a light dinner, and a couple hours of gaming. 

“Which part?” Asher asked, squeezing Jordan’s hand. Jordan was being the ‘big spoon’ tonight.

“The ass stuff, but definitely also the blow job stuff, ooh and the potato stuff. Man, you make good diced potatoes!”

“You’re welcome” –Asher laughed– “for all three. And, uh, thanks for your part too.”

“You mean the steaks?”

“Yeah…and also the fingering and other stuff.”

“Oh that was my pleasure!” Jordan squeezed him closer and nuzzled the back of his head.

“Hey, uh, about what we talked about during the ass and fingering stuff…”

“Me fucking you?” Jordan’s voice trilled with excitement.

Asher swallowed and nodded. “Yeah.”

“It’s okay.” Jordan kissed the back of his neck. “It was just dirty talk. I’m not expecting to do it.”

“I was thinking…” Asher hesitated as he considered taking the out Jordan was offering him. Then Jordan shifted and held him closer, massaging Asher’s pec with his thumb, and Asher decided he really didn’t want that out. He trusted Jordan, what was happening between them was awesome, and even if he didn’t yearn to get fucked right now the way he had in the moment, he vividly remembered how much he had wanted it and was sure he would want it again when the time came. “We could.”

“What?” Jordan froze. 

“You could fuck me.” Asher hated how high and nervous his voice sounded.

“When?”

“W- _when?_ ” 

“Yeah when?”

“Like you want a date and time?”

“Yeah, let’s get something on the calendar!”

Asher elbowed him. 

Jordan chuckled. “I guess we can just play it by ear if–”

“Saturday,” Asher blurted out. It was Wednesday night. That gave him all day tomorrow and Friday and– “At six PM.” –most of the day on Saturday to think it over, mentally prepare himself, and… _physically_ prepare himself. Whatever the hell that entailed.

“Uh, Saturday at six PM sounds great.” Jordan squeezed him again and nuzzled the back of his head. “This is me RSVP-ing yes.”

Asher snickered. “I’m glad you can make it.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t miss it!”

Asher rolled his eyes and tried to ignore the swell of anxiety rising in his gut. “Good night, Jordan.”

“Night Ash.” Jordan slotted his leg between Asher’s and resumed rubbing slow, soothing circuits across his chest.

Asher let go of his anxiety and closed his eyes. This seemed like a good decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! 
> 
> Feedback is greatly appreciated!


	12. A Moral Inventory and A Wide Receiver

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains explicit smut.

Condensation beaded the doorknob, threatening to drip to the slick tile floor as Asher climbed from the shower and opened the bathroom door, allowing the thick steam to dissipate into his bedroom. He grabbed his towel off the rack and hung it around his neck as he hustled out of the room. It was too hot to dry off in the bathroom. 

He wiped the water away from his face and toweled his hair as he retrieved his phone from the bed so he could check his messages. He had a text from Jordan and a missed call from his dad.

Jordan: [eggplant emoji][peach emoji] _!!_

Asher’s already overheated cheeks burned with fresh heat.

Asher: [eye-rolling emoji]

Asher: [thumbs-up emoji]

He needed to hurry. It was already five-forty-one and they were supposed to start at six. True, it wasn’t exactly an _appointment,_ but…well he only had nineteen minutes to get ready!

On the one hand he wouldn’t need to get dressed, so that would save some time, but the more important ‘getting ready’ was a lot more complicated than throwing on a shirt and a pair of pants. 

He took a long breath as he pulled the bottle of lube out of his nightstand, his stomach knotted and his chest tight. He could do this. It wasn’t a big deal. Just another new thing they were trying.

He’d already draped a second towel across his bed, which he collapsed onto, raising his legs and using the bath towel to absorb the remaining excess water that clung to the hair on his calves. He repeated the process on his crotch, dabbing his pubes and curling the terrycloth under his balls. He set the towel beside him on the bed, where it would be ready for any cleanup that might be necessary, then grabbed the bottle of lube.

Spreading his feet wider and drawing up his knees, he popped the cap on the little plastic bottle. Another deep breath. This was going to be fun. It would feel good. He _liked_ playing with his asshole. Hell, he liked _Jordan_ playing with his asshole. He just needed to chill the fuck out and enjoy himself.

He flinched as his slick finger made contact with his warm pucker. Not a big deal. He was all up in it just a few minutes ago during his bath and subsequent shower. 

A sigh escaped his lips as he slicked the wrinkled folds of skin and tapped the opening with the pad of his finger. He was being more tentative than he’d been while he was washing, but lubing and loosening himself for sex – gay sex – _with Jordan_ felt different. He moaned and lifted his feet off the bed as his finger slipped through his tight, plush ring of muscle. It was a _good_ different. 

His heart thumped with excitement as he curled his finger and teased the inner perimeter of his hole, tugging at the tight resistance and making the sensitive nerves that rimmed the ring of muscle tingle. He wanted this so bad. He fucking wanted Jordan’s cock shoved up his ass as deep as it would go!

He pulled his finger out and squirted more lube in his hand, then drew his knees back and raised his hips. This time he was anything but tentative as he plunged his finger back inside and fucked it back and forth. His wrist was twisted in a weird angle, and it was awkward and difficult to reach. Jordan could finger fuck him so much better. Jordan could _fuck_ fuck him so much better. Jeez, was it six yet?

He glanced at his phone to check the time just as the display lit up with an incoming call. _Dad._

Ignoring the call was the obvious choice, but…hmm, this was the second time he had called in the last forty or fifty minutes. What if it was important? What if something had happened?

Asher sighed and answered the phone with his free hand.

“Hello.”

“What are you doing?”

Asher’s blood ran cold and he pulled his finger out of his ass. “Um…why do you ask?”

“I just want to make sure you’re not busy.”

“Kinda am.”

“Can it wait?”

Asher wiped his hand on the towel and frowned into the phone. “I guess. What’s up?”

Dad cleared his throat. “I’m doing a moral inventory.”

“Uh, cool.”

He chuckled. “It’s step four of…the program.”

“Oh.” Asher nodded. He had been right to answer the phone. This was important. “How’s that going?”

“Okay.” Dad paused. “Good actually. I’m realizing a lot of things about myself.”

“That’s great, Dad.”

“About why I am the way I am…Why I’m an alcoholic.”

“And you want to tell me about that?” Asher kept his tone neutral.

“It’s more…I…” He cleared his throat. “Well yes.”

“Okay,” Asher said softly.

“You know I don’t get along with your grandfather.”

“Yeah,” Asher answered. That was an understatement. Asher had only seen his grandfather about three times in his life, and it had been at extended family gatherings. 

“He” –Dad’s voice became detached– “put a lot of pressure on me. It was just one demand after the next. Nothing I ever did was good enough for him.”

Asher wasn’t sure what to say, so he hummed in acknowledgment.

“And I internalized that. I started putting that same pressure on myself. Nothing I did was ever good enough for _me._ It got worse after I married your mother, and much worse after you were born. I had so many more responsibilities.”

Asher swallowed and remained silent.

“And that’s basically why I started drinking so much. At least, that’s what it boiled down to. It was the only way to escape the pressure, to just relax for a night.” He dropped his voice to a whisper. “To not feel like I was fucking everything up all the time…even if drinking so much made me fuck up worse.”

“Uh, well I guess that’s, um, an important insight.”

Dad let out a long, ragged breath. “The other half of that insight is that I’m repeating the pattern that started with my dad…with you.”

Asher’s fingers tightened around the phone as a hot, prickly sensation shot up his spine.

“I know I’m not the easiest man to please. That I made you feel–”

“Dad, I’m fine.” Asher noted the detachment in his own voice but ignored it. “I don’t have a drinking problem.”

“Yet.”

_Fuck you._

The man sighed. “I want the best for you, Asher…but that doesn’t mean everything has to be perfect. Not by my standards. Not even by your own standards. I’d settle for good enough to make you happy. And” –another sigh– “you’re not asking, but I think that’s where you should set the bar for yourself too.”

Asher narrowed his eyes, his chest swelling with anger. “Okay,” he answered in the same detached tone.

“Look, if you want to talk about the way my drinking has made you feel–”

“I don’t.”

“The way it’s affected you–”

“No.”

“I know I’ve pushed you too hard at times. I’ve let you down, and–”

“Dad.” Asher’s composure slipped and hostility bled into his tone. “I don’t want to have this conversation.”

“I just want–”

“ _I_ just want you to get better.” He forced the fire back down. “Don’t worry about me right now. Just focus on yourself.”

“I think that’s what I’ve been doing for a long time.” 

_Why stop now?_ “I’m not mad,” Asher said.

“Um…”

“If you think I’m going to cut you out of my life or something…I’m not.” Asher licked his lips. “And I’m not going to become an alcoholic either. I’m fine. We’re fine. Seriously, just focus on your sobriety.”

He let out another sigh. “I have the amends step coming up later.”

Asher laughed. “You can consider me amended.”

Dad hesitated. “I don’t think I can.”

The silence wore on until Asher broke it. “I don’t know what you want from me, Dad. I said we’re fine. If you’re apologizing, I accept it. That’s really all I can do.”

“I want to talk about it, Son.”

“Yeah, and I don’t, okay?!” Asher sighed through his nose. “I don’t want to sit here and tell you how it made me feel that football was the _only_ way I could ever get your attention. Or how it felt when you yelled at me, even when I was trying to be good or stay out of the way. Or how it felt when you yelled at Mom. Or broke stuff. Or slammed doors. Or passed out on the couch. I don’t want to talk about feeling like it was all my fault. Or worrying that you were gonna die. Or go to jail. Or hit me. I don’t want to talk about any of that, Dad. Not now. Maybe not ever. But definitely not now. Not when we’re doing better. Not when you’re getting sober. Not when I don’t live with you anymore and wouldn’t have to deal with it directly anyway. What’s even the point? I’m past all that. And so are you. We’ve moved on. So, can we just…move on?”

Dad drew a gasping breath. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“And I accept your apology,” Asher whispered back, staring up at the ceiling.

“You don’t have to…if you need more time.”

“Well I do. And I don’t.”

“Okay.” Dad took another long breath. “You can bring this back up in the future… _if_ you want to. But I won’t push it anymore.”

Asher closed his eyes. “Yeah okay.”

“I love you, Son.”

“Uh huh.” Asher steeled himself to continue rather than simply letting the call end here. “I love you too, Dad.” His mouth was cotton. “Thank you for saying all that…and for getting sober. We really are okay. I’ll talk to you later.”

There was a knock on his bedroom door as he hung up. He opened his eyes to find Jordan standing in the open doorway, wearing an old pair of their Beverly gym shorts and nothing else.

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I was coming to, well…” He smirked and snickered. 

Asher sat up, pulling the towel into his lap and cursing himself for not closing the door. He had expected Jordan to just walk in when the time came. It was everything else he hadn’t expected.

Jordan entered and sat on the edge of Asher’s bed. “I only heard your side of things but…”

A measure of tension eased from Asher’s shoulders as Jordan wrapped him up in a tight hug. 

“I’m sorry,” Asher said as the embrace ended. “I’m not really horny anymore.”

Jordan laughed and cupped the side of Asher’s face as he pecked his lips. “It’s cool. We can just Netflix and chill for real.”

* * *

Condensation beaded the doorknob, threatening to drip to the slick tile floor as Asher climbed from the shower the next afternoon and opened the bathroom door, allowing the thick steam to dissipate into his bedroom. He grabbed his towel off the rack and hung it around his neck as he hustled out of the room. 

Jordan whistled and eyed Asher’s dripping crotch before lifting his gaze, letting it linger on Asher’s stomach and chest before finally meeting his eyes. “Gah, you look really good wet, bro.” He rubbed the bulge in his red shorts with one hand, the bicep in his other arm flexing as he tucked it behind his head where he lay on Asher’s bed. 

Asher resisted the urge to cover himself with the towel, instead running his hands down his pecs and abs and squeegeeing the water into his already sopping wet pubes. They both smirked as a rivulet of water flowed down Asher’s flaccid shaft and gathered around his glans. He stepped closer to the bed and shook his dick at Jordan, flinging droplets across his chest.

Jordan chuckled and rubbed the moisture into his skin. The bulge in his shorts twitched and swelled into a proper tent as Asher set about drying himself.

“Took you forever in there.” Jordan stroked himself through his shorts, his eyes running over whatever bits of Asher’s flesh and muscle were unobscured by the towel at any given moment. “I’ve been done with my shower for like twenty minutes.” 

“I had” –Asher flicked Jordan with the towel– “extra washing to do.”

Jordan grinned and snagged the end of the towel, which he used to tug Asher closer until he sat on the bed by necessity. “Nah, I washed my asshole too.”

Asher snorted and rolled his eyes. “I had to be extra thorough.”

“I was thorough,” Jordan said in a serious tone. “My offer from before still stands. You can do whatever you want to my ass. Believe me, I’m _very_ excited for tonight’s playbook.” He fisted his boner through his shorts as if to prove his point. “But feel free to call some alternate plays as necessary.”

“Thanks bro.” Asher squeezed Jordan’s thigh just below the hem of his shorts and winked. “But we both know you’re the quarterback and I’m the receiver.”

“ _Wide_ receiver,” Jordan added with a wink of his own.

Asher furrowed his brow. “What are you saying exactly?”

“That I’m gonna stretch you out,” Jordan answered, waving his boner.

Asher’s stomach twisted and his face burned.

“It won’t mess anything up.” Jordan shrugged one shoulder. “It’ll go back to normal. But I wanna give you a nice gape before the end of the night.”

Asher toweled his hair for an excuse to break eye contact. “I guess we’ll see.”

“Oh I’ve seen,” Jordan answered in a cocky tone. “It’s so much fun playing with a girl’s pussy or ass after I’ve worn it out. Trust me, bro, you’re gonna be a _wide_ receiver after I’m done firing my pigskin across your gridiron all night.”

Asher shoved him and glared. “You wanna try _not_ being a raging dick right before you fuck me for the first time?”

Jordan grinned and squeezed his tent. “I can’t keep my dick from raging with all this going on.” He motioned with his other hand up and down Asher’s body. “But if you want we can light some scented candles and turn on some smooth jazz to getcha in the mood.”

“Fuck you,” Asher muttered as he leaned in to kiss Jordan.

Jordan met him with firm lips and an eager tongue, but broke the kiss as Asher tilted his head to deepen it. “You seriously can,” he whispered against Asher’s mouth, cupping the back of his head. “No pressure. I’m happy however this goes.”

Asher responded by snaking his hand up the loose leg of Jordan’s shorts and gripping his cock as he re-ignited the kiss.

Jordan hummed and played with Asher’s chest as he rammed his tongue back into Asher’s mouth.

Asher’s head swam and he jammed his own tongue just as hard and rough against Jordan’s. Fuck. It lacked any semblance of sensuality, but he was more than happy to match Jordan’s quest to lick the back of his throat. He whimpered as Jordan’s hand drifted from his chest to his abs and finally to his naked penis. It was a limp chub when Jordan made contact, but as he tugged on it and played with the head, Asher swole to half-mast and then into a full erection. By the time Jordan let go, Asher was throbbing.

Jordan’s manhood had been throbbing since Asher had first gripped it, and now it was leaking too, slicking Asher’s fingers as he roughly polished the knob. Every time Jordan moved his leg or Asher twisted his wrist, Jordan’s shorts scritched and groaned in protest. The seam split at the crotch as Jordan rolled Asher over and pinned him against the bed.

“What are you doing?” Asher asked with tingling lips as he yanked his hand out of Jordan’s ruined shorts. 

“I want you.” Jordan jabbed a rough kiss to Asher’s mouth before moving lower and peppering Asher’s throat and collarbone with kisses as he resumed jerking him and started playing with his balls. 

“Jordan!” Asher yelped and writhed at Jordan’s rough grip and the way he all but kneaded Asher’s sack.

“Sorry,” Jordan murmured against one of Asher’s nipples before swirling his tongue around it and nipping it between his lips. His hands abandoned Asher’s crotch in favor of raising his arm and playing with his bicep and armpit. 

Asher sighed and flexed, now pleased at the firmness of Jordan’s touch, which kept him from being ticklish.

Jordan sucked Asher’s nipple and flicked it with his tongue before his mouth darted up to Asher’s bicep.

“Fuck.” Asher pawed at the front of Jordan’s shorts with the hand Jordan wasn’t keeping raised over his head. Jordan should have already taken the damn things off, or not put them on in the first place, but his mouth proved too distracting for Asher to succeed in finding a way back inside. 

Jordan clutched Asher’s elbow and pressed his forehead against Asher’s bicep. “Flex some more for me, Ash.”

Asher did, and Jordan moaned as he rubbed and licked the bulging muscle.

Asher gasped as Jordan’s tongue continued tracing his muscles all the way down into his armpit. “Dude!” 

Jordan mumbled something incoherent and ran his tongue over the thick nest of hair that grew there, his fingers still clenching Asher’s hard bicep. He pulled his head back and grinned before diving back into Asher’s mouth.

Asher cringed, half-expecting to be met with a bad taste on Jordan’s tongue, but of course he was freshly showered and Jordan’s mouth didn’t taste any different than it had a couple of minutes earlier. His pit and bicep tingled as they made out.

“Do the other one,” Asher muttered as the kiss ended, lifting his other arm.

“Way ahead of ya,” Jordan answered with a smirk before burying his face in Asher’s other armpit, licking and nipping at the delicate skin and bushy hair as Asher flexed and pivoted for him. 

Asher fondled Jordan through his shorts in between jerking himself off as Jordan’s mouth drifted onto his bicep then down to his pec. Jordan spent long enough sucking his nipple and playing with the muscles of his upper body, that Asher’s causal self-strokes had intensified into a frenzied wanking. Tremors of pleasure roiled through his chest under Jordan’s oral ministrations, and it was all he could do to tear his hand away from his own cock and redirect it to Jordan’s tent. 

“No.” Jordan caught his wrist and returned Asher’s hand to his cock. “Keep going. Your abs are next, and I wanna eat your cum off of them.” 

_Oh shit._

“I need lube,” Asher said, noting the beginning of friction burn on his shaft. That wouldn’t do. He was pretty sure they would both be playing with his cock quite a bit tonight.

“You are not getting lube on that thing before I’ve had it in my mouth.”

Asher let go of his dick and pointed at it as he smirked at Jordan. “Better hurry up and slob on my knob then, bro.”

A smile flashed across Jordan’s face before he shuffled lower on the bed and took Asher’s cock in his mouth.

“Ahh, yeah!” Asher closed his eyes and clutched the back of Jordan’s head as Jordan’s warm saliva eased the slight burn on his shaft. 

Jordan gagged and choked as he swallowed Asher to the hilt and drooled all over his bush. He kept drooling as he slowly raised his head, coating Asher’s shaft.

“You could just go ahead and suck me off,” Asher half-stated, half-asked as Jordan lifted his head and he was left to take his now slick erection back into his own hand.

“I got other plans for my mouth,” Jordan answered before pressing his face back to Asher’s chest and lapping at one of his nipples again.

Asher sighed and stroked himself as Jordan bit down just hard enough to make it sting and light up Asher’s whole pec with tingles. There were worst uses of Jordan’s mouth. He jerked himself a few more times then stopped.

“You seriously want me to cum though? Before we even start?” 

Jordan gave him a thumbs up and switched nipples. 

“Okay.” Asher sighed and tried not to feel self-conscious at the fact that he was about to blow his load while Jordan was still dressed in shorts and– 

Jordan raised Asher’s other arm and buried his face in his armpit again. 

_Oh fuck._

Asher’s cock throbbed in his hand and continuing to jerk it was beyond natural.

Jordan’s mouth drifted up to Asher’s bicep, and his other hand traveled to Asher’s jerking arm and massaged the muscles of his forearm. “Wanna feel you workin’ it,” he whispered into Asher’s skin before nipping with gentle teeth.

Asher jerked faster. In spite of everything, this didn’t feel like any form of sex, just Jordan being weirdly involved in his masturbatory life. Hell, he was still wearing his shorts for godsake, and Asher was the only person touching his cock – even if it was slick with Jordan’s spit.

Asher fucking loved it, loved that he was about to cum by his own hand while Jordan worshiped his muscles and– Oh god, tweaked his nipples. Jordan was tweaking both his nipples. _Hard._

“Aahhh!” Asher squealed, and gasped, and jerked, jerked, jerked as fast as he could. He needed to fucking cum while the blaze of sensation in his chest was still sharp, crisp, and nothing but good.

“Cum for me, bro,” Jordan whispered into Asher’s pit as he tugged and twisted his fingers. “Blow all over those hard, tight abs for me.”

“Oh fuck, YES!” Asher flexed his stomach, making his abs bulge and twitch, beyond ready to paint them and make Jordan’s latest fantasy come true. His jaw dropped open and his eyes widened as torrents of pleasure ripped through his rippling gut and tore out of his spasming cock in a _thick_ jet of pearly white jizz that overshot the mark. 

It spattered his sternum, throat, and Jordan’s knuckles before he had the presence of mind to sit up and angle the creamy ropes at his navel. The next shot coated his bellybutton and treasure trail. He grinned like a maniac and tilted his cock to and fro, spurting all over the ridges and valleys of his abs. He had never been so proud to unload all over his stomach before. 

“Clench for me and shoot some more, Ash,” Jordan whispered into his ear as they both stared at the thick, dribbling stream gushing out of Asher’s tip and streaming down his shaft and into his dark brown bush.

Asher poked his tongue between his closed lips as he clamped down hard with his pelvic muscles, dialing the fading waves of pleasure back up a notch and yipping with pride as he managed to make one last spurt catch air and spatter his hairy upper pelvis before the final trickle ebbed out of his swollen, purply-red cockhead.

“Fucking hot, Ash!” Jordan nuzzled the side of his head and kissed the shell of his ear. “You’re all stud, man.”

Asher beamed and tipped his head back, basking in the attention. 

“Don’t move,” Jordan said before licking the cum off Asher’s throat and chest. 

Asher was weirdly used to Jordan licking him by this point, so holding still wasn’t a problem. 

“Now slowly lay down.”

As Asher did so, Jordan slurped Asher’s cum off the back of his own knuckles, never peeling his eyes off Asher’s flexing abdomen.

“What now?” Asher asked with a smirk as Jordan stared at his stomach like it was a steak dinner. 

Jordan didn’t answer, just set about making a meal of Asher’s cummy abs.

Asher kept them taut and flexed the whole time, even when they started to burn, even when Jordan’s tongue tickled, even when Jordan _bit_ the skin beneath his matted treasure trail. He did however shift and pivot, flexing different muscle groups as Jordan’s oral inspection continued. 

After the first mouthful, Jordan was in no rush to swallow, instead taking his time drooling cum and spit on Asher’s tanned skin before slurping it back up with a noisy relish. He filled and emptied Asher’s navel twice before moving on to drenching the line of hair that ran both up and down his sculpted midline, flooding the carved valley with frothy spit-cum before sucking it back up and drying the hard crevice with his fingertips. 

He didn’t stop at bitting the delicate flesh beneath Asher’s navel. He nipped each one of his abs and tongue-fucked the lines between them. 

Asher hadn’t cum on his vee lines, but that didn’t stop Jordan from turning them into literal cum-gutters and licking them clean again.

It was a relief by the time Jordan finally made his way to Asher’s crotch. Asher had already gone from a spent semi to completely shriveled and limp, to chubbed back up, to a lazy boner that wouldn’t quite stand, to– 

“Ohh!” Asher gurgled and fisted the bedspread as Jordan swallowed his aching hard-on to the hilt. It was a tired ache rather than a needy ache, but that distinction was lost after a few bobs of Jordan’s head.

Jordan gagged and massaged Asher’s balls and taint – this time gently, this time in a way that had Asher spreading his legs and grinding down on Jordan’s hand in between bucking into his mouth.

“Dude. Oh fuck. I actually feel like I could cum again if you keep going.” 

Jordan did keep going, but he didn’t let Asher cum again. Instead he held his balls at the bottom of his sack every time they started to draw up, and broke the rhythm of his blowjob whenever it got _too_ good and Asher moaned too hard. Asher tried and utterly failed to keep from moaning – because as much as he didn’t think he should cum _again_ when Jordan hadn’t even touched his ass yet, his self control was totally shot and by the time Jordan was done blowing him, he was desperate to shoot another load.

He reached for his cock and Jordan literally slapped his hand away.

“Fold your arms behind your head and look pretty.” Jordan smirked when he said it, lessing the impact, but it was still very clearly more of an order than a polite request, and Asher couldn’t figure out how he felt about that.

But he complied. He tucked his hands behind his head and flexed his biceps and upper body.

“Fuck.” Jordan pulled his shorts down and tipped from knee to knee as he worked them off and kicked them away, never taking his eye off Asher’s body.

“Wow, you’re like…” Asher stared at the string of precum that drooled from Jordan’s bloated tip. His dark shaft was swathed in bulging veins, and his foreskin was rolled back and bunched behind his glistening, swollen cockhead. 

“Painfully hard,” Jordan answered with a whine as he pressed down on his shaft with his thumb, and they watched it spring back up.

“Maybe I shouldn’t look quite so pretty,” Asher said with a teasing smirk as he made his biceps bulge and flexed his abs.

Jordan tipped his head, conceding the point as he knee-walked forward and wrapped his hand around Asher’s erection, pressing it against his own.

Asher sighed and bucked his hips. It felt amazing as Jordan’s wet glans kissed his own, and based on the way Jordan trembled and closed his eyes he more than agreed.

Asher bucked and bucked as Jordan held still and moaned. 

They both throbbed, so Asher’s kept going, grinding the sensitive spot under the front of his cockhead against Jordan’s as Jordan gushed all over him, drooling non-stop all over his glans until it dribbled down their shafts and drizzled onto their balls. 

“Okay.” Jordan let out a long, moaning sigh and backed up. “That’s enough of that.”

“I don’t think your dick agrees,” Asher answered, watching Jordan’s manhood bob and strain in the air, another bead of precum clinging to the tip.

“My dick doesn’t know what’s good for it,” Jordan answered with a chuckle, teasing it with his thumbs again and making it bounce. “It would be begging me to wait if it knew it was gonna get to cum in your ass later.”

Asher laughed as Jordan straddled him and moved forward, stopping with his cock a scant few inches from Asher’s face.

“You want me to suck it?” Asher licked his lips. He wanted to suck it.

“Just a little.” He wiped his precum on Asher’s chin.

Asher’s cock twitched, and if he hadn’t still had his hands folded behind his head, he definitely would have stroked it. Instead he opened his mouth and wiggled his tongue, giving Jordan the green light.

Jordan smacked the tip against Asher’s tongue and sighed as Asher’s lips closed around him.

Asher sighed too, pleasure centers lighting up in his brain as he _tasted_ Jordan. _Fuck._ He swirled his tongue and hummed, doing his best to make Jordan lose control and blow his load in Asher’s mouth as he face-fucked him.

Jordan stopped after a few delicious thrusts and pulled out with another ragged sigh. “You’re such a cocksucker, Ash.”

“I am a cocksucker,” Asher agreed, smacking his lips.

“Suck my balls too,” Jordan said – _asked,_ Asher realized when he didn’t move. 

“Okay,” Asher said with a nod.

Jordan squatted over him, his foot beside Asher’s shoulder, as he lowered his smooth sack onto Asher’s lips. 

Asher stuck his tongue out to taste Jordan’s skin and test the weight and fullness of his balls before letting one hefty, oblong nut into his mouth. It didn’t taste as good as his cock, but it was fine, and the way Jordan hissed, moaned, and writhed left no doubt that he was loving it. Asher traced it with his tongue, rolled it around, and gently sucked.

Jordan’s other nut remained pressed against the outside of Asher’s lips as Jordan rubbed it with his fingertips while jerking his cock with his other hand. “Oh yeah! Oh yeah. Suck it harder, Ash.”

Asher did just that, sucking almost as hard as he would have sucked Jordan’s cock for a few seconds.

“Oooh _fuuuuck!_ ” Jordan writhed and rose up, pulling his nut out of Asher’s mouth.

“Too much?” Asher asked, looking up at Jordan’s face from around his cock. 

“Yeah, but also just fucking right.” Jordan grinned down at Asher. “Do the other one just like that.”

“Okay.”

Jordan cupped the ball that had been in Asher’s mouth with his fingers and let the other one dangle as he lowered it onto Asher’s lips.

Asher took the delicate orb into his mouth and repeated the process, massaging it with his tongue, rolling it around, and gradually sucking harder and harder until Jordan squirmed and climbed off Asher’s face.

“Does that hurt?” Asher asked as Jordan straddled him and rubbed his cock and balls all over his chest.

“Not _hurt,_ but it kinda makes it ache and tingle and throb in a really good way.” Jordan arched an eyebrow and glanced over his shoulder at Asher’s junk. “You wanna try it?”

“No.”

“Okay.” Jordan shrugged. “I wanna cockwhip you a little.”

“What?” 

Jordan gave a toothy grin and smacked Asher’s cheek with his wet cock.

“Really?” Asher rolled his eyes as Jordan slapped his other cheek. It didn’t hurt in the slightest; it was just weird.

“Yeah man, you look hot with my cock in your face.” Jordan tapped the tip of Asher’s nose with his glans, then his lips, then ran it over each eyebrow.

“I’ll take your word for it,” Asher answered, tilting his head and letting Jordan trace his jawline with his throbbing tip.

“Awww, yeah man. Your stubble is just long enough to tickle _good._ ”

“You’re a major weirdo, Jordan Baker,” Asher said, aware of the softness in his eyes.

Jordan smiled down at him and followed his cock with a thumb along Asher’s jaw.

“So um…” Asher cleared his throat. “We gonna get to the feature presentation or what?”

Jordan climbed off him and knelt beside him on the bed. “Just can’t wait to get my dick in ya, huh?”

“Uh…”

“Roll over.”

“Like on my hands and knees again or–”

“Flat. Well” –Jordan grabbed the spare pillow and placed it beside Asher’s hip– “lay on this.”

Asher rolled onto his stomach with his cock and balls on the pillow, elevating his ass just a little.

“Ahh yeah, that looks nice.” Jordan cupped Asher’s asscheeks and spread them apart. “That looks even better!”

Asher wanted to say something snarky, but the cool air gusting across his hole made him fall silent. 

“Mmm, _fuck!_ ” Jordan kneaded Asher’s asscheeks as he straddled him and sat on the backs of his thighs.

“What are you doing?” Asher’s voice trembled and his chest tightened with anxiety.

“It’s okay.” Jordan patted Asher’s ass. “No penetration yet. I just wanna have some fun.”

“What’s that mean?!” 

Asher got his answer as the telltale sensation of Jordan’s drooling glans tapped against his asshole.

“This is okay, right? We did this last time.”

“It’s okay.” Asher ground back against the smooth, plush knob, his hole tingling and twitching.

“Damn Ash!” Jordan smacked it a couple times and then pushed just hard enough to meet resistance.

The anxiety in Asher’s chest sank into his gut and burned as a tight, desperate need. He didn’t push back but he wanted to.

“Mmm.” Jordan sighed and thrust forward, sliding his leaking tip up Asher’s crack. “You like that?”

“It’s fine.”

Jordan chuckled and squeezed Asher’s asscheeks together, sandwiching his cock and bucking a few times. “You’re not too hairy up here.” He rolled his hips and rubbed the cleft of Asher’s ass before spreading Asher’s asscheeks again and dragging his cock back down. “But here.” He rolled the tip around Asher’s asshole, gently trapping the hair around it beneath his thumb and against his plush glans. “And here.” He let go and wiggled lower, sliding down Asher’s crack toward his taint and once again trapping the nest of hair there against his cockhead as he rocked back and forth. “You’re a fuzzball, Ash.”

Asher’s face burned. “You said not to worry about it.”

Jordan took a long, heavy thrust, his cock gliding across every bit of Asher’s crack and his smooth balls dragging over Asher’s hairy taint. “Do I sound like I’m complaining?” He chuckled and rocked some more, playing with Asher’s scruffy crack with his thumbs as he kneaded his ass with his fingers. “Turns out I’m really into it.” He pressed Asher’s cheeks together, sandwiching his cock tight before bucking and thrusting hard and fast. “Aww yeah, man, your ass is fucking _fun_ just the way it is.”

“Thanks,” Asher mumbled.

Jordan spread him wide again and leaned back, tracing just his tip along Asher’s crack again and leaving a warm, wetness in his wake. “Fucking perfect back here.”

Asher humped the pillow as Jordan played with his hole.

“Okay, now get up on your knees.” Jordan climbed off the back of Asher’s thighs. “I’m gonna eat you out good.”

“O-okay.” Asher tugged the pillow up and buried his face in it as he raised his ass and pulled his cheeks apart, making it as easy as possible for Jordan to– “Ahh! Ooh yeah.” He panted and let the sensation roll up his spine. “Yeah, fuckin’ swirl your tongue. Swirl it! Swirl it, Jordan!”

Jordan spit on his hole and rubbed it with brisk fingers. “Fuck, this is gonna be milkin’ my cock in a little while. I’m gonna fucking blow in this asshole.”

“Oh yeah, man.” Asher let go of one asscheek so he could stroke his dick as Jordan’s face burrowed back into his crack.

Jordan nudged his hand away but replaced it with his own, roughly jerking Asher as he sucked and tongue-fucked his hole.

“Gimme the lube,” Jordan said in a raspy voice several minutes later as he raised his head.

Asher scooted up and yanked open his nightstand drawer. He tossed the bottle on the bed behind him and hurried back into place. Jordan’s spit was still dripping down his taint and balls. His hole still tingled and hummed. He still felt on the verge of blowing another load all over the bed – and he desperately wanted Jordan to take things to the next level while all these glorious sensations were aligned.

Jordan did. He shoved a slick finger inside Asher and fucked it back and forth. 

Asher closed his eyes, feeling it every time Jordan’s knuckle slipped past his fluttering sphincter. _Oh god._ Jordan must have had the biggest knuckle in town. It was fucking awesome.

“Gonna add a second finger,” Jordan said as he pulled the first one out and the lube bottle squeaked. 

Asher whined, both because his new favorite knuckle had abandoned him and also because he knew he wasn’t quite ready for a second finger. He didn’t say anything.

“Aah-oww!” 

“It’s okay.” Jordan rubbed his lower back and continued slowly but relentlessly sliding his fingers in and out of Asher’s burning hole.

Asher took a deep breath and nodded as a little wave of pain crashed over him only to crest and break as a head spinning wash of pleasure. More relentless finger fucking. More burning. Another swelling wave of sensation, this one with less bite on the front-end. 

“Ooh.” Asher closed his eyes. He was hyper aware of Jordan’s knuckle again, only this time it came with a knobby companion that – okay, yeah, they were a welcome pair. 

“I haven’t even hit your prostate yet.” Jordan’s cocky smirk was plain in his voice, and so fucking earned as he rotated his fingers and Asher yelped.

“I like that,” Asher whispered.

“I know you do.” Jordan wiggled his fingers in Asher’s ass before grinding them into that special spot that made Asher’s innards glow. 

“Keep doing that.” Asher rubbed his face against the soft pillow and flexed his hole.

“I will.” Jordan’s voice took on a strained quality and as Asher’s attention shifted he noted the he could both feel through the mattress and hear as Jordan jerked himself with his other hand.

Asher reached for his own erection, his breath hitching as Jordan crooked his fingers and sped up his pace. “Can we cum like this?”

“Dontcha want me to fuck you?” Jordan’s voice was obscene, broken and needy in a way that made something rattle and lurch deep inside Asher.

“Yeah.” Asher groaned and writhed on Jordan’s hand. “ _Please._ ” 

“Okay.” Jordan pulled his fingers out. “Aah, fuckin’ hell. That asshole looks good!”

Jordan’s cock squeaked and squished as he slathered lube on it and vigorously fapped it a few times. Then he was kneeling behind Asher and his wet knob was pressing into Asher’s relaxed, fluttering hole, and– 

“Wait!” Asher shouted as he skittered forward and turned to look at Jordan. “You forgot the condom.”

“The condom?” Jordan’s face fell. “You want me to wear a condom?”

“Well yeah.” Asher frowned at him and opened his nightstand to get one.

“Why?” Jordan looked legitimately perplexed. “It’s not like you’re gonna get pregnant.”

“Um, STDs are a thing.” Asher opened the box of _Trojans_ and pulled one out.

Jordan’s lips parted and he huffed. “Don’t you trust me?”

Asher rolled his eyes and tore the green foil wrapper open. “This has nothing to do with trust. It’s for your protection too.”

“Well I trust you.” Jordan folded his arms. “If it’s up to me, we don’t need one.”

“It’s not, and we do.” Asher thrust the opened packet at him. “I’ve never been tested, have you?”

“Tested for what?” Jordan took the condom but dropped it on the bed.

“Anything?”

He shrugged. “No.”

Asher nodded with his chin at the condom. “Exactly, so either one of us could have something and not even know it. It’s not about trust; it just isn’t safe.”

“Aww c’mon.” Jordan pouted his lip. “I’ll pull out if you want.”

“Uh huh.”

“No, I mean it.” Jordan held up his hand like he was taking an oath. “I won’t nut in you, bro.”

“Dude, you said it yourself. Your signature move is literally giving people a ‘Baker Surprise.’” Asher curled his fingers into quote marks.

“That’s not what a Baker Surprise is, and you know it!”

“Yeah, well Baker could get surprised too.”

“Huh?” Jordan stroked himself and tilted his head.

“You could have an accident,” Asher answered, giving Jordan a hard look. “Cum before you expect to. Or maybe it’ll feel too good and you won’t be able to bring yourself to pull out at the moment of truth.”

“Haha yeah.” Jordan shook his head. “I mean no!”

“Jordan.”

“Seriously. If it means that much to you, I’ll pull out before I even get that close.”

“What if I’m cumming?”

“Huh?”

“What if I’m cumming, and moaning, and begging you to fuck me when it starts to hit you?”

“Uh…”

“Put on the damn condom, Jordan!”

“Fine. Jeez.” Jordan picked up the foil wrapper and pulled the condom out. “Well you don’t have to watch!”

“Oh sorry.” Asher raised his hands and turned around. Jordan sounded hurt. He got back in the same position he was in before, legs spread, ass raised, and face buried in the pillow.

“Ash?”

“Hmm?”

Jordan grabbed his hand and guided it onto his cock. “You feel that?” he asked, pressing Asher’s fingers to the base of his cock and against the rim of latex. “It’s on.”

“I know it’s on.” He stroked Jordan’s wrapped cock. “I trust you.”

The lube bottle squeaked, and Jordan’s fingers were back at his hole, slicking him up with extra lubricant and scissoring him open one last time. “Gah, you’re already such a hot mess back here.”

Asher’s face burned even though Jordan obviously liked what he was seeing – and fingering. 

“Okay.” Jordan’s fingers vanished and there was another wet fap. “You ready?”

Asher’s heart pounded and he could hardly breathe, so he just nodded, bouncing his ass in the process.

Jordan’s knob pressed against his hole, and this time as he pushed in to the point of resistance, Asher pushed back.

“Ahhh! Ooh! Fuck. Fuck! FUCK!” Asher fisted the bedspread and squeezed his eyes shut as his ass blazed with fire. 

“Oh _yeah!_ ” Jordan patted Asher’s hip and let out a deep sigh. “That’s just the head. And oh man, it feels good the way you’re clenching down on it and throbbing.”

“Fucking hurts,” Asher bit out, throwing his middle finger back at Jordan.

Jordan chuckled and rubbed his back. “Sorry, I’m so well hung, bro. Lemme know when you’re ready for more.”

Asher took long, deep breaths and rode out the burn and the crackling endorphins that followed. It was _too much_ sensation. Once things had calmed down, he raised his hand again, this time with a thumbs up.

“Okay!” Jordan’s hands clamped around his hips, holding him in place as he eased forward.

“Oh.” Asher hissed through his teeth as the blaze sparked back to life, even if it didn’t burn quite as hot. “Feels like I’ve been split open.”

“Nah, your hole does look really good stretched around my shaft, but it’s not _that_ stretched. You’re fine.”

“How far are you in?”

Jordan moaned and pulled Asher’s hips back, slowly impaling him until Asher’s ass was flush with his crotch. “About halfway.”

“What?!”

Jordan laughed and reached around Asher to play with his limp dick. “Kidding. All the way, man. And your ass is fucking awesome by the way. You’re so damn tight, and like, it’s pulsing and quivering.”

Asher groaned and got up on his elbows so he could look back at Jordan. “It hurts.”

“We’ll go slow,” Jordan answered, easing out of him.

Asher closed his eyes and held his breath as Jordan took slow, shallow thrusts.

“Deep breaths, Ash. It’ll help.” 

Asher exhaled and let himself focus on the sensations flooding his body, trying to acclimate to them.

“This feels so fucking good.” Jordan wiggled a little as he bottomed out. “I needed this so bad. Sex. Like _sex_ sex. Like fucking sex.” He eased out until his cockhead wedged in Asher’s muscle ring, then plunged back in with a single, fluid move. “It’s so satisfying.”

Asher gasped.

“I know that sound.” Jordan took a couple rocking, shallow thrusts, then a full out-thrust and another slow, deep plunge. “Go ahead and moan while you take my dick.”

Asher did. It was intense. He could feel the sweat breaking out across his back and forehead, and his whole core lit up every time Jordan moved – which he was doing non-stop now.

“Looking back, I think I’ve wanted to fuck this ass our whole lives. Or at least since puberty.”

“Ah, just do it.”

“What’s that?”

“ _F_ uck me,” Asher answered, emphasizing the _f_ in _fuck._

“Yeah.” Jordan pulled Asher toward him on the next thrust.

“Ooh.” Asher’s cock hung heavy and swollen between his legs as he reached for it. It wasn’t fully hard, but it felt just as good to stroke it as if it had been.

Jordan pulled all the way out, and Asher groaned.

“You want my cock _bad_ dontcha, Ash?” Jordan tapped it against his hole a couple times and rolled it around the rim.

Asher’s hole tingled and fluttered, a gnawing need building inside him. “Yeah. Fuck me.”

Jordan rammed it back in, and Asher all but shrieked, awash in sensation that took a few seconds to process – seconds Jordan didn’t give him as he set about railing Asher in earnest.

“Oh goddamn, _fuck._ ” Asher’s head lulled against his arm. The verdict was it. It felt fucking incredible. He was pretty sure Jordan was consistently pummeling his prostate, but he couldn’t be sure because _everything_ down there – up his ass, in his stomach, across his crotch – was glowing and throbbing. Words failed him and he dissolved into moans and inhuman babbling.

“Awww, you’re gonna make me cum soon, Ash.”

Asher tried to give him the thumbs up, but he couldn’t lift his hand. “Go.” He grunted and gurgled as Jordan nailed him with a deep, crisp thrust. “Yeah. Do.”

“You tryin’ to say I can cum whenever I want?”

Asher nodded into the pillow and shifted his arm underneath him so he could paw clumsily at his cock. The head was wet. _Thank god._ He smeared the precum all over his glans and polished the nerve-bundle with his thumb and two fingers.

“Yeah, I’m gonna cum in this ass. In the condom.” Jordan sighed, but his excitement was back as he continued. “But in your ass. I’m gonna fuckin’ _nut_ in your _asshole,_ Asher. You got my big hard cock ready to blow with your hot ass.” He slapped an asscheek.

“OH!” Asher yelped and almost came, but rode the wave back down, gushing in his hand in the process. He slathered it all over his cock and jerked hard. “C-close.”

“Me too.” Jordan’s voice was tight, the words clipped between clenched teeth as he got off his knees and climbed into a squat behind Asher.

“Oh fuck!” Asher’s ass clenched as he realized the implication. “Give it to me good!”

“Yeah!” Jordan slammed in, and out, and in, and out, plowing Asher’s ass hard enough that he had to quit stroking and focus all his strength on just staying upright. “Oh, oh, fuck yeah! Fuck yeah! Fuck yeah!” Jordan’s bucks became faster and more frantic until all at once he slammed in balls-deep and collapsed across Asher’s back.

Asher gave a half-stroke and twirled his fingers over his glans one more time. And it was all over. He sprayed cum into the bedspread as Jordan pumped his hips and panted on top of him.

Asher slowly lowered his ass and sagged flat into the mattress under Jordan’s weight as the aftershocks kept coming, flooding his brain and blurring his vision. Jordan was still whimpering and moaning too. 

When it was over, Jordan pulled out and rolled off of him.

“Ugh, stupid condom. It’s all full of cum.” There was a wet rustle as Jordan removed it.

Asher flexed his hole. It tingled and throbbed, and felt _very_ loose. 

“You need a trashcan by your bed, man,” Jordan said from behind Asher as he reached past him and held up the tied off condom for him to see.

Asher snickered. “You came a lot.”

Jordan laughed and nudged Asher’s back with his chest. “Well yeah, I was super fuckin’ worked up, and I was deep in this sweet ass.” He rocked his hips and ground what still felt like a completely hard erection against Asher’s backside. “Be right back. I gotta go get rid of this.” He jiggled the condom before sliding off the foot of the bed and strutting out of the room.

Asher sighed and nuzzled his head into the pillow. Jordan looked good strutting around post-sex with his dick still wet and shiny.

“Okay, get back on your stomach,” Jordan said as he re-entered the room.

“Why?”

He grinned. “I wanna see how much of a wide receiver you are now.”

“Seriously?” Asher arched his brow. 

“Yeah man, nothin’ hotter than a fucked out hole.”

Asher grumbled and lay on his stomach. He was almost too exhausted to lift his ass, but he managed to get back on his knees as Jordan climbed up behind him and spread his cheeks.

“Oh fuck yeah! You’re wrecked, bro!” Jordan ran two fingers around his hole which, yeah, definitely felt wide open. 

“Okay, you looked.” Asher’s face heated and he started to move away, but Jordan held him open.

“Can I take a picture?” Jordan sniggered. “It’ll last longer.”

“No.” Asher rolled onto his back and glared.

“Okay.” Jordan shrugged one shoulder and gave him a lopsided grin. “Had to ask.”

“You sure it’ll, um…” Asher cleared his throat and clenched his throbbing, exhausted hole as much as he could. “Go back to normal?”

“Yeah man, of course.” Jordan lay down beside him, right in the wet patch of jizz Asher had shot. He didn’t react or acknowledge it, so Asher ignored it too.

“So um, I kinda want another shower.”

“Cool.”

Asher licked his lips. “What about you?”

“Yeah, I’ll probably take one.”

“You wanna” –Asher caught his eye, then looked away– “save water?”

“Oh.” A grin lit Jordan’s face and he nodded. “Oh yeah, sure.”

They went to Jordan’s room for their shower, then stretched out across his bed once they were done and dry. 

“Are you sore?” Jordan asked as he trailed lazy fingers along Asher’s hip.

“Yeah.” Asher glanced at Jordan’s soft dick, his own fingers looping languid circuits along Jordan’s chest. “But I don’t mind.”

“Worth it for some of this D, huh?” Jordan asked with a smirk.

“Yeah,” Asher answered with a shrug.

Jordan’s eyes softened and he curled a snug arm around Asher. “You wanna get somethin’ to eat?”

Asher shook his head. “Pretty tired.”

Jordan frowned but nodded.

“You can go.”

“Nah, I’m gonna stay.” Jordan got out of bed and flipped the sheets and covers back on his side before turning off the light.

Asher wriggled his way between the sheets and wound himself around Jordan as soon as he got back in bed. “Thanks, tonight was pretty awesome.”

“Tonight was fucking incredible!” Jordan answered, giving Asher a tight squeeze. “Night.”

“Night,” Asher answered as he closed his eyes and relaxed with his head against Jordan’s chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Feedback is greatly appreciated!
> 
> Next chapter is the (literary) climax, when Asher’s sexuality will come to the fore and his and Jordan’s relationship will hit its critical make or break moment. I haven’t decided yet whether or not they’ll end up together. I’m waiting to see how things feel after next chapter as well as how you guys react and what you want to see happen in the final chapter. I have both a “happily ever after” and “happily broken up” scenario in mind, so it could go either way.


	13. However and Therefore

Asher ran along the dirt track that circled the park, quietly freaking out about what had happened the day before. It felt like a huge mistake. How could he just go back to his normal day-to-day life like none of this had happened? And how the hell was Jordan so comfortable doing exactly that? Shouldn’t he be freaking out too? Shouldn’t he be just as scared about what it meant for the future?

He wasn’t. Maybe Asher shouldn’t have been surprised, but Jordan was treating the whole thing like it was the best news in the world, and he was all too eager to move forward.

Asher frowned behind his mask and jogged into the grass to make space for a _group_ of people coming toward him on the running path. On his way here, every business he passed was open. There was easily twice as much traffic on the streets, and people seemed to be largely disregarding social distancing. Quarantine was officially over and there was nothing he could do about it.

Sure, he could have stayed home himself, and he still planned to minimize his time spent indoors in public places, but there didn’t seem much point when Jordan was out wasting no time visiting their friends and going wherever he wanted. Besides, Asher’s outdoor morning jog was a legitimately low-risk activity. 

He let his mind wander as he followed the trail around to the far side of the park, indulging dark thoughts of himself and Jordan winding up in the hospital on ventilators. Maybe it wouldn’t even get to that. He had read about people, young people, who died suddenly at home. Maybe he’d just… _find_ Jordan one morning when he went to his room…or woke up next to his cold body. He sighed and tamped down his fears as he rounded the loop and sprinted across the street to the sidewalk that would take him back to his neighborhood.

He didn’t want to bring that negativity home with him. Home was his and Jordan’s sanctuary – even if they, especially Jordan, had now begun leaving it more often than Asher felt comfortable with. It was fine. He knew they couldn’t hide from the world forever, but at least they had each other as they faced whatever would come next. 

Asher: _Want a smoothie?_

Jordan hadn’t answered by the time Asher reached the _crowded_ shopping center that housed the smoothie shop they liked. He passed it, but stopped at the end of the block and turned around. It would be okay if he kept his mask on and left as soon as their drinks were ready. Jordan might still be asleep, which was probably why he hadn’t answered Asher’s text, but he’d enjoy his when he woke up.

Asher snickered and fought the urge to adjust his mask as he stopped at the back of the line at the designated spot six feet behind the guy ahead of him. Maybe he’d put Jordan’s smoothie straight into the fridge and give Jordan something else to enjoy when he woke him up.

It had been a little over a week since their first time…and two days since their third time. Today felt like a good day for their fourth time. Asher was still a little sore, but that didn’t matter since they had pretty much decided that the next time they had sex, they’d try things the other way around with Asher topping.

His cock twitched and he folded his hands over it as he stepped forward in line.

He was ready. He had been – okay, he still _was_ – nervous about hurting Jordan, or not staying hard, or just messing up in general, but after talking to Jordan about it the night before, it felt like it was going to be okay. They’d work around any problems, and as Jordan had pointed out, them being naked and messing around was a recipe for a good time even if things didn’t go perfectly as planned. Today wasn’t _scheduled_ the way their first first time had been because they agreed it would be lower pressure if they let things happen naturally but…

Asher swallowed and subtly adjusted himself as he stepped up to the counter to order. Today felt natural.

* * *

Asher blinked in confusion as he walked into their condo and tried to hang his keys on the rack by the door only to find an unfamiliar set with a penguin keychain dangling from his usual hook. He hung his keys over Jordan’s instead and went to the kitchen to put away their smoothies, his stomach twisting into knots. 

Was there a stranger here?

No, Jordan wouldn’t invite someone over during a pandemic without talking to him about it first. Besides, no one was in the living room, and it would be kinda weird if they were hanging out in Jordan’s room, so Jordan must have just randomly found a set of keys on the community grounds or something and brought them in to drop off with property management later. 

Jordan must have been awake though if he had already been out and found keys, so Asher walked down the hallway, his thoughts drifting back to what he wanted to initiate with Jordan. Man, Jordan was going to be so excited! It was no secret he wanted to get fucked.

Asher froze in his tracks, his heart lurching into his mouth as he heard the sound of voices in Jordan’s room.

The door opened and a blonde girl with disheveled hair stepped out carrying a frilly bra.

“Oh!” Her eyes widened and she jumped back – into a barechested Jordan who was following her out of his room.

“Asher!” Jordan’s face lit up and he stepped around the girl, giving her a wink before pressing his mouth to Asher’s.

Asher couldn’t breathe and didn’t have the presence of mind to return the kiss or to push Jordan away.

The girl looked impressed as they parted. She clutched her bra against her chest – Asher could see her nipples through the thin fabric of her turquoise tanktop – and held out her other hand. “I’m Lauren.”

Asher numbly shook it, his mind reeling to make sense of what was happening.

“I didn’t think you were serious,” she said to Jordan.

“I told you I was,” he answered with the same smirk he had given to Asher so many times over the past month.

Lauren shrugged. “I’ll talk to Abby about it and see if she’s interested.”

They walked up the hall, Asher blinking after them. His veins had filled with ice water and his heart felt ready to burst.

Jordan escorted her to the door with a hand on the small of her back. He kissed her.

“Thanks for an amazing morning,” he said.

She giggled, her fingers curling into the waistband of his gray sweatpants, her bra dangling against his thigh. “I’ll text you.”

“Yeah, let me know about Abby.” He opened the door and handed her the penguin keychain. 

“I will.” She turned and waved up the hallway. “Nice to meet you, Asher. You’ll like Abby. Jordan says she’s your type.”

She left.

Asher gasped for air and stumbled up the hallway toward Jordan.

What? _WHAT?_

“What the hell was that about?!”

Jordan grinned at him. “Oh my god, Ash, she was incredible! Like I swear that Cardi B song must have been written about her p–”

“You, you…?” Asher waved his hand. 

“Yeah!” Jordan nodded and stepped into Asher’s space. “And get this, she and her roommate started hooking up in quarantine too. She didn’t believe me at first about me and you, but now that she does” –he gripped Asher’s arms and bounced on the balls of his feet– “I think she’s gonna get Abby to have a foursome with us! How fucking awesome is that?!”

“You cheated on me?!” Asher yanked his arms away and stepped back.

“Huh?”

“You cheated on me.” Asher drew a shallow breath through clenched teeth, blood pounding in his ears.

“No, I didn’t.” Jordan furrowed his brow. “Wait, what?”

Asher glared at him.

“Um, we’re not together, so…no, I didn’t.”

“What do you mean we’re not together?” Asher’s words sounded hollow and detached. They felt wrong to say.

Jordan shrugged. “We’re not.”

“What…about…” Asher pleaded with his eyes for Jordan to understand.

Jordan’s face softened and he stepped closer. “What we’ve been doing?”

Asher gave a jerky nod and stepped back as Jordan reached to touch his arm.

“That was just hooking up,” Jordan whispered.

Asher released a trembling breath and clamped down on his emotions. “Just hooking up?”

“Yeah, I mean…Did you want it to be more?”

Asher stepped around him and hustled up the hallway. He had to get to his room. _Now._

“Asher wait.” Jordan grabbed his arm.

“What?!” Asher shouted as he spun around.

“What?” Jordan repeated, letting go of Asher and raising his hands.

“Fuck you, Jordan!” He clenched his hands by his sides. “You were just marking time with me until you could turn around and screw the first girl you meet after quarantine!”

“I…It was…Don’t say it like _that._ ”

Asher yelled and threw his hands up. 

“Wait!” Jordan grabbed his shoulder as he turned.

Asher jerked away from his touch and kept walking.

“Will you just wait?!” Jordan shouted.

Asher opened his door but stopped as Jordan tried to follow him in.

“Go away!” He slammed the door in Jordan’s face and locked it.

“Asher!” Jordan pounded on the door.

Asher made a beeline for his bathroom and slammed and locked that door too. He turned on the vent. And the shower. He could still hear Jordan yelling at him, but not as clearly.

He peeled off his clothes and got in the shower. _FUCK._

He trembled as he sank into the tub and drew his knees up to his chest. He slammed the bottom of his fist against the side of the tub before winding his arms around his legs and burying his face against his knees. _Fuuuuuck._

The water was cold by the time Asher turned it off and climbed out of the tub. He yanked his towel off the rack and roughly dried himself, his breath coming in snorts and puffs. 

He pulled his phone out of his pants and went to his bed. He had six missed calls from Jordan, two voicemails, and thirteen texts. He ignored them. How could Jordan do this to him?

His phone lit up with another incoming call. He stared at Jordan’s name on the display until it stopped. Another text. He swept his eyes over the lockscreen messages without processing the words. His name. _Please. Talk._ Whatever.

He stared at the wall, lost in thought until his phone lit up again. He answered it immediately this time.

“Mom?” He sniffled, flashing back to the time he had called her in the middle of the night to pick him up during his first sleepover at Jordan’s house. She had come right away and taken him home. If he asked, would she do it again?

“Asher.” She let out a sigh of relief. “I’m so glad you answered.”

His stomach sank. Right. He had been ignoring her calls for the last three weeks. 

“I…” He licked his lips, guilt tangling around his chest. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you back.”

“You needed time.” She sounded hurt but resolved. “I understand that.”

Asher was a dick. He probably would have called back if he hadn’t been so distracted by…

“I’m sorry,” he repeated.

“No, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I left, baby. And I’m sorry I made you feel like you couldn’t come to me when” –she swallowed and her voice filled with anger– “your father threw you out.”

“I know I should’ve.” Asher stared at the ceiling. “I just didn’t know if you’d…” His voice shook. “Want me.”

“Always baby,” she whispered.

Asher sniffled and wiped his eye. “Could you come pick me up?”

“Um, I’m in the Dominican Republic.”

“What?”

She laughed softly. “We came on Jacob’s boat and checked into a resort. Covid cases are starting to rise here too, but not nearly as fast as there.”

“Oh.” He nodded. “Well good. I’m glad you’re staying safe.”

“Are you okay? Did something happen?”

Asher cleared his throat. “I’m okay.”

“Did something happen?”

Asher sagged against the pillow. He was too exhausted to lie or evade the question, and it didn’t seem like it mattered anyway. “Jordan cheated on me.”

“Jordan _ch-cheated?_ ” She hesitated for a few seconds before continuing. “Oh honey, I’m so sorry.”

Asher closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

“Do you have somewhere to go?”

“I’m just” –Asher shrugged– “in my room.”

“You shouldn’t stay with someone who cheats on you.”

“I’m not, like, staying _with_ him. It’s just complicated.”

“Do you want me to help you find somewhere to go? I’ll call around. And pay for it.”

Asher thought about it for a little while. “No, I don’t wanna move during a pandemic.”

They were both silent for a few seconds.

“Had you been together long?” she asked softly.

“Just since quarantine.”

“Are you okay?”

Asher sighed and ran a hand through his damp hair. “I guess.” He groaned as his phone began vibrating in his hand. “He’s calling now.”

“Do you want to take it?” she asked cautiously.

“No.”

“Good.”

Asher huffed with amusement.

They talked for another twenty minutes, mostly about the resort and her trip to the Dominican Republic. Asher made it clear he didn’t want to get into details about Jordan, and she didn’t press him to. He told her the news about his dad’s sobriety, but she didn’t believe it would last, so he changed the subject back to the resort and what the food was like. 

By the time they hung up, Asher had another missed call and three more texts from Jordan. He ignored them and closed his eyes. He couldn’t fall asleep, but it hurt less with his eyes closed.

He could almost pretend this morning had never happened, that Jordan was behind him in bed spooning him.

He felt a tear trickle down his cheek, but it didn’t count because his eyes were closed.

* * *

Asher’s mouth was too dry to ignore any longer, so he got up and went to the bathroom. Drinking water from his hands at the sink relieved the worst of his thirst, but it also pissed him off. Fuck Jordan. Asher hadn’t done anything wrong. He shouldn’t have to be trapped in his room lapping up lukewarm tap water like an animal.

He took a deep breath and opened the door, intent on grabbing his smoothie from the fridge and coming straight back to his room. He didn’t make it to the end of the hallway, much less the kitchen, before Jordan’s door was opening behind him.

“Asher.”

Asher ignored him and kept walking.

“Asher!” 

The floor vibrated beneath Asher’s feet as Jordan thundered down the hall.

“Will you just leave me alone?” Asher didn’t turn around, just held his hand up with his middle finger raised.

“I didn’t know how you felt,” Jordan said as Asher stepped into the kitchen. “Like, I didn’t think you could even return my feelings.”

Asher slowly turned and glared at him. “What?”

“Just what I said.” Jordan shrugged, his face stormy with emotion. “I didn’t think you could have feelings for a guy. So I thought it was just about, you know, getting off for you.”

“What part of us sleeping in each other’s beds, and cuddling, and having full fucking reciprocal sex made you think I didn’t have feelings for you?”

“Uh, the part where you literally said you weren’t interested in me and that you’re straight.”

Asher waved his hands. “When did I say that?”

“When I told you I was curious and wanted to mess around.”

Asher blinked at him. What the fuck?! “That was before… _anything_ happened.”

“Yeah,” Jordan answered, rubbing the back of his neck. “So I went into it with that in mind.”

“You didn’t think maybe I had reconsidered?”

“Did you?” 

“YES!” Asher wenched open the refrigerator and grabbed his smoothie. 

“Well…I didn’t know that.”

Asher huffed and let the refrigerator door close as he waved his hand between them. “Did this not feel like more than just sex to you?”

Jordan wouldn’t meet Asher’s eyes. He looked past him at the wall instead.

“I want an answer.”

“Yeah.” Jordan let out an uneven breath. “It felt like more than just sex _to me._ But I didn’t think it meant anything _to you._ ”

Asher stepped back and slammed his smoothie on the counter. “Fuck you!”

“What?” Jordan’s lips pressed into a hurt pout.

Asher _so_ wasn’t accepting that. “Fuck you,” he repeated. “I’ve been so damn careful and considerate of your feelings.”

“I…” Jordan nodded.

“I was” –Asher sighed and shook his head– “such a shitty boyfriend to Layla.”

“You just–”

Asher spoke over him. “And I made a lot of mistakes with Liv. I messed up bad.”

Jordan didn’t say anything.

“But I’ve been fucking awesome to you.”

“You have,” Jordan answered with an earnest nod.

“And you couldn’t tell” –Asher bit his lip and looked up to fight the moisture forming in his eyes– “I had feelings for you?”

“I thought…I mean we’re friends, so–”

“You know what?” Asher snatched his smoothie off the counter. “This is typical.”

“Huh?”

“This is typical Jordan Baker behavior.”

“I don’t understand.” His brow furrowed.

Asher’s lips curled into a humorless smile. “You're a self-involved prick, Jordan. You don’t think about anyone but yourself.”

“That’s not true!”

“Isn’t it? How many times have you hurt Liv, or your parents, because all that mattered to you was getting your own way?”

“I mean, I’ve fucked up before but–”

“You made me blow you for christsake for the first time after my dad got arrested!” 

Jordan whipped his head back. “I blew you too.”

“Yeah, which I didn’t _ask_ you to do.”

“Well, you didn’t say no. In fact you said yes.”

“I had just had a huge fight with my mom and you were like, ‘Oh, I think I’ll pressure Asher into some oral and cum all over his face.’”

“What do you want me to say?” Jordan waved his hand. “I thought it would make you feel better.”

“No, you thought I wouldn’t have the energy to say no – and you were fucking right!”

“You said it was okay.” Jordan’s lip trembled. “We talked about it, and you said I just had to do better next time. And I _did._ ”

“It _was_ okay.” Asher scrubbed a hand over his face. “It was okay because I th-thought…” He sniffed and jabbed the straw of his smoothie into his mouth and took a sip. “I dunno what I thought.”

“I-I’ve only been listening to what you told me this whole time.”

“No, Jordan.” Asher opened the fridge and set his smoothie back on the shelf. He wasn’t thirsty. “You never listen. At least not to me.”

Jordan tilted his head, his dark eyes shining. “What does that mean?”

Asher shook his head and shrugged as he looked up at the ceiling again and took a few breaths to compose himself. “You found out my dad lost his job, my mom left, and I had been sleeping in my car…and all you cared about was giving me hell for hooking up with Liv.”

“I was…protecting her.”

“Pretty sure you were protecting your own fragile ego.” Asher brushed past him as he walked out of the room. “I don’t know why I expected more from you…or why I’ve put up with it for this long.”

Jordan didn’t follow Asher as he made his way back to his bedroom and shut the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there’s one more chapter left with two potential outcomes, which broadly are that they make up and stay together, or that they don’t but move forward taking something positive from their time together. I’d be happy ending the story with either scenario, so I’d like input please on your preference. It won’t be a “vote” per se, but I’d love to hear your reasons why you think they should or shouldn’t end up together as I decide. And of course as always feedback on this chapter is greatly appreciated!


	14. Asher and Jordan

_You’re a self-involved prick._

Asher took a deep breath through his nose and pressed his cheek against the pillow.

_You don’t think about anyone but yourself._

He swallowed, the dull ache in the pit of his stomach intensifying.

_You made me blow you._

His jaw twitched.

_You were protecting your own fragile ego._

Another sigh.

_I don’t know why I expected more from you._

He groaned and rolled over, a cold wave washing down his face and settling in his chest. He was so fucking pissed at Jordan…and he felt like such an asshole for saying those things to him. All he could see was Jordan’s trembling lip and the hurt look in his eyes.

“Asher?”

He flinched as Jordan’s voice cut through his thoughts, accompanied by a knock on his door.

“C’mon bro.” Another knock. “I know you’re not sleeping.”

Asher flashed back to the hallway, to that girl coming out of Jordan’s room carrying her bra, to Jordan _bragging_ about what they had done. He opened his mouth to tell Jordan to fuck off.

“…are you?” He sounded scared and hurt. 

Dammit, they were back in the kitchen again, Asher yelling and hurting Jordan’s feelings.

“Come in,” he called, surprising himself with the level monotone of his voice. Hadn’t his voice gotten the memo about all the anger, guilt, and pain roiling through him?

He felt it in his chest as the doorknob turned with a creaky, metallic groan. A blade of light cut across his bed, and he shut his eyes just as a silhouette stepped into it.

Jordan cleared his throat and the door clicked shut behind him. “So uh, can we talk?”

Asher opened his eyes. “Fine.” The angry hurt in his tone was achingly real but jarring to his own ears as he studied Jordan’s hunched posture and timid movements. It was too dark to see his face clearly, but everything about him screamed defeated and beaten down…and Asher just wanted to hug him.

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, I bet.” The guilt blazed colder in Asher’s chest. 

“Can I, um…” Jordan fumbled with Asher’s desk chair and spun it around.

“No.”

He froze and stepped away from it, back toward the door.

Asher sighed and sat up. He flipped the sheet back and patted the bed.

“Really?”

He didn’t say anything or look at Jordan, just scooted sideways and waited.

The mattress dipped as Jordan sat on it, causing Asher’s bare shoulder to brush the warm, soft cotton clinging to Jordan’s. It felt good, and Jordan was still upset, so Asher wound his arm around Jordan’s back and gave him a reassuring squeeze before lying back down and rearranging the pillows, placing one beside his own for Jordan.

Jordan hesitated before easing onto it and pulling the covers up. He lay on his side facing Asher. “So you don’t hate me?”

“No, I do,” Asher answered, this time carefully modulating his tone and making sure it came out sarcastic. He shifted closer and draped an arm over Jordan.

“I get that I fucked up.”

“Yeah.” He rubbed Jordan’s back and brushed their knees together.

Jordan’s tongue was just visible in the darkness as it darted out and licked his lips. “I didn’t think you could feel this way about me.” He shifted closer to Asher, slotting their legs together from the knees down. “It seems stupid now.”

Asher gave a low hum of agreement.

“That’s why...you know.”

“You cheated on me.”

“I didn’t–” Jordan cut himself off and sighed. “Yeah.” He pursed his lips.

Asher brushed his fingers against the back of Jordan’s neck and smiled at him in the darkness. Jordan wanted to argue and defend himself, but he didn’t, and that counted for something.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“I know.”

“You hurt me too, you know?” Jordan draped an arm around Asher and squeezed him closer.

“Yeah, I know.” He nudged Jordan’s foot. “I’m sorry.”

“Did you mean those things you said?”

“No.” Asher’s voice was back to a monotone.

Jordan sagged and leaned away. “Yeah, you did.”

Asher didn’t say anything.

“I’m not selfish.” Jordan’s voice broke. “I was just trying to keep from getting too attached.”

Asher’s heart broke. He rolled onto his back.

Jordan rolled sideways onto him and rubbed his chest. “ _Because_ I have feelings for you and–”

“You couldn’t tell that I felt the same way.” Asher made no move to pull away or to return the embrace.

“Yeah, but now that I know–”

“That’s kind of a big thing.”

“What?”

“That you couldn’t even tell.” Asher nudged Jordan back to his side of the bed. 

“I mean...I’m not a mind reader.”

Asher shrugged. “It was just my emotions you had to read, not my mind.” He cleared his throat. “And I wasn’t trying to hide them.”

“Sorry.”

Asher took a long breath and shrugged again. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“I guess it doesn’t matter.”

Jordan trailed his fingers over Asher’s forearm. “You sound like it does.”

“Why didn’t you just ask?” He yanked his arm away. “And why did you need to jump into bed with someone else _as soon_ as you could? Why couldn’t you just” –he waved his hand before dropping it back to the mattress– “let things play out? See what was gonna happen?”

“I told you, I-I thought I needed to get you out of my system.”

“Without even giving us a chance?”

“I’m sorry.” Jordan scrubbed a hand over his face. “I messed up, and I made the wrong choice...I don’t know what else to say.”

Silence stretched between them until Asher broke it. “I should have communicated better. I should have told you how I felt.”

“Yeah.” Jordan rolled onto his side, and so did Asher. “I literally didn’t even know you were into guys. You said you weren’t.”

“Well, I dunno.”

“What do you mean?” He snickered and patted Asher’s thigh. “You’ve had alota opportunity to figure it out.”

Asher rolled his eyes. “I’m into _you._ ” 

“But I’m the only guy?”

“You’re the only _person_ I’m into right now.”

Jordan sat up on one elbow. “But like, you’re attracted to girls?”

“Yeah.”

“And you’re attracted to me?”

“Yeah.”

“So are you attracted to other guys?”

Asher shrugged, his face heating. “Uh, potentially I think. But not, like, actively.”

“What does that mean?”

“I don’t know.” He looked away from Jordan’s gaze. “ _You_ turn me on, and I think other guys probably _could,_ but they don’t...right now.”

Jordan eased back down. “I don’t really understand that.”

Asher laughed. “Me either.”

“I guess it’s like how you sort of sparked my sexual awakening for guys.”

Asher shook his head. “I don’t think it is. ‘Cause you’re into other guys too, huh?”

“Oh yeah.” Jordan snickered.

“I’m not and...I think deep down I always knew I could be.”

“Huh?”

Asher tossed his hands up. “Can we not discuss this any more right now?”

“Okay.” 

Asher waited for a few moments before diving into the next topic that weighed on his mind. “It’s also not cool that you brought someone over during a frickin’ pandemic without talking to me about it first, like even if you weren’t going to fuck her.”

“I pay rent, so I can have over whoever I want.”

Asher sat up, rage jolting up his spine.

“I’m kidding!” Jordan gripped Asher’s arms as he sat up too. “Kidding. Relax.” He ran his thumbs in a slow circuit over Asher’s skin. “I get what you mean. I just didn’t think about it.”

Asher huffed. “It’s not something to kid or just not think about. You could die. I could die. Hell Lauren could die since I know you’ve been visiting other people too.”

Jordan guided Asher back down. “Okay, I hear you...but I think you’re overreacting a little.”

“Jordan, younger people are dying from this too. And we don’t know who else we could pass it on to.”

He raised his hands. “Fine. I’ll talk to you next time.” He leaned back. “Do you want me to like, stay away from you until I get tested?”

Asher grunted. “I think it’s a little late to worry about that. It probably was as soon as you _kissed_ me after fucking her.”

“Sorry,” Jordan mumbled. He shifted closer again and sat up a little. “Hey um...”

“Hmm?”

“Are you still mad at me from high school about all that stuff with Liv and your parents?”

“No.”

“You brought it up. I hadn’t even thought about it since, I dunno when.”

Asher shrugged. “I still think about it sometimes.”

“Why?”

Asher frowned. “Because it hurt that you didn’t have my back.”

“I would do better now.” Jordan slipped his hand into Asher’s. “Like the blowjob thing. You told me I just needed to do better about consent, and I’ve been doing better.”

Asher pulled his hand away. “So I’m not supposed to be mad anymore?”

“So you are mad?” 

“No. I’m just...I dunno. I’m not anything. Whatever. It’s fine.”

“Bro, I’m not just saying this because I’m the one in the doghouse, but you need to let stuff go. It’s not healthy to keep dwelling on it.”

“I’m over it.”

“Dude.”

“Fine, I’ll work more on getting over it.”

“I mean...I want you to get over it, but if you need to say something or we need to hash it out, we can do that too.”

“Alright.” Asher sat up and crossed his arms. “It hurt that my best friend didn’t even notice I was living in my car, didn’t seem to care that my mom had left, or try to understand how it felt that we didn’t have any more money. It was a fucking awful period of my life, and I don’t think you gave two shits about any of it beyond the parts that directly affected you in some way.”

“I...Oh.” Jordan swallowed and their eyes met in the darkness. “I guess…uh, that’s true.”

Asher tilted his head and waited for him to continue.

“I was a tool back then.” He took a breath. “And you deserved better. I’m sorry.”

“Okay.” Asher nodded and sat back. “I do feel a little better. Thank you.”

Jordan squeezed Asher’s shoulder. “I really am sorry...And you’re right. I’m a self-involved prick sometimes.”

Asher patted Jordan’s hand. “I am too. It’s okay.”

Jordan shook his head. “No, you’re not.”

“Sometimes.”

After a few moments, they both relaxed and laid back down facing each other.

“So um” –Jordan slotted their legs together and rubbed Asher’s side– “you forgive me? For all that stuff?”

Asher let out a shaky breath. “Yeah.” He meant it.

“And you _are_ attracted to me?” Jordan’s thigh brushed Asher’s crotch through his pajama pants. “You have _those_ feelings for me?”

“Yeah,” Asher whispered. He could hardly breathe.

A grin broke across Jordan’s face as he leaned in.

Asher stopped him with a hand on his collarbone before their lips could connect. “But we can’t be together.”

Jordan blinked and pulled back. “Why?” It came out as a gust of disbelief.

Asher closed his eyes and gathered his composure. “Neither one of us is ready. We’re gonna break up and...I don’t think our friendship could survive it.”

“But” –Jordan bit his bottom lip– “I lo–”

“Me too.” Asher shook his head. “And I don’t wanna lose you.”

“Can’t we _try?_ Isn’t that what you said?” He cleared his throat, his mouth scrunching. “That we should try?”

“But...we didn’t,” Asher whispered.

“But we could,” Jordan whispered back. “It’s not too late.”

“No, it’s” –Asher rubbed his face– “it’s too early. You’re gonna wanna hook up with other guys. I’ve got a lot to figure out for myself, and–”

“None of that matters.” Jordan cupped the side of Asher’s neck. “We’ll figure it out.”

“No.” Asher covered Jordan’s fingers with his own and squeezed them. “It does matter. We matter. We matter too much to blow up our friendship.”

“But...you dated Liv and you’re still friends.”

Asher shook his head. “You’re not Liv, and...I’m not the same guy I was.”

“You’re better,” Jordan whispered.

“Maybe.” Asher laughed and sniffled. “But I’m not ready.”

“So,” –he let out a ragged sigh– “where does that leave us?”

Asher leaned his forehead against Jordan’s and hugged him. “It leaves us where we’ve always been: Asher and Jordan, best friends.”

* * *

_Seven Years Later_

“Wait, where’s the ring?!” Jordan slapped the pocket of his suit jacket.

“Hold still.” Olivia lifted Jordan’s chin and grumbled as the necktie became twisted and she had to start over.

“But where’s the ring?! Where’s the–”

“Bro, you already gave it to that little girl and her mom,” JJ said. He caught Asher’s gaze and rolled his eyes.

“What little girl?!” Jordan whipped around to look at JJ.

“Jordan, I swear!” Olivia tugged at the end of the necktie.

“The ring bearer.” Asher stepped closer and rubbed Jordan’s back. “It’s where it’s supposed to be. Everything’s fine. Everything’s going smoothly.”

“You haven’t tried to tie his tie,” Olivia muttered.

“It was fine the way I had it,” Jordan said, twisting his neck to try to see what Olivia was doing.

“It looked like a pretzel knot before,” Olivia said.

“Kelli loves pretzels,” Jordan answered.

“But I doubt she wants to marry one.”

“We got a full house out there,” Spencer said as he re-entered the room.

Jordan’s eyes widened.

“Still twenty minutes to go,” said Brant, their friend and a former running back on their college team.

“Only twenty more minutes of freedom, JB.” Josh said with a snicker as he mimed handcuffs being snapped onto his wrists. 

Asher ignored Jordan’s coworker and most annoying groomsman, and returned his attention to Jordan. “You got this,” he whispered.

“Yeah.” Olivia caught Jordan’s eye and gave him a reassuring nod as she put the finishing touches on his tie. “There. Perfect.”

Jordan squeezed her arm and took a deep breath. “Can you guys go check and see if the ushers need help?”

“I’m sure they got it, bro,” JJ said with a laugh.

“C’mon, man,” Spencer said as he nudged him toward the door with Josh and Brant falling into place behind them.

Asher turned to follow them out, but Jordan caught his arm. 

“Can you hang back?”

Asher nodded.

“You alright?” Olivia asked her twin.

“All good.”

“Okay, I’m gonna go check in with Mom and Dad.” She kissed his cheek. “See you on the other side.”

He chuckled.

“What’s up?” Asher asked once they were alone.

“I’m really nervous,” Jordan said as they sank into a pair of chairs near the mirror.

“Of course you are.” He bumped Jordan’s knee with his own. “But you and Kelli are freakishly perfect for each other.”

“It’s not that. I’m not, like, worried about marrying her. I want to be with her more than anything in the world.”

“Then what are you nervous about?”

Jordan leaned closer. “The sex.”

Asher couldn’t stop the peal of laughter that escaped his throat.

“It’s not funny.” Jordan smacked his shoulder. “We haven’t done it. What if we’re not…compatible?”

“You’ll be fine.” Asher smirked at him. “You’re basically sexually compatible with everyone anyway.”

Jordan smiled a little. “That’s true.” He took a deep breath and reached for his tie, but Asher caught his wrist before he could mess it up. 

“Besides, after all this time, you must be raring to go,” Asher said with another smirk. Jordan and Kelli had been together for over two years.

“Yeah,” Jordan agreed with an exaggerated, wide-eyed nod before growing serious again. “But…”

“Hmm?”

“I’m worried she’s waited all this time and…what if she doesn’t like it?”

“She’s gonna like it.”

“How do you know?”

Asher snickered and gave him a dull look.

“Oh right.”

Asher squeezed Jordan’s shoulder. “I’m really proud of you, man. For not pressuring her or” –he bit back the word _cheating_ – “anything.”

“Yeah.” Jordan patted Asher’s hand and a faraway look formed in his eyes. “Pressuring people and going too fast can ruin a good thing. I wasn’t gonna make that mistake…again.”

Asher cleared his throat and let go of Jordan. “Well, anyway, after all this time I’m sure the sex will be incredible, and even if it’s not, you guys can work on making it better together.”

Jordan beamed at him and nodded. “That’s a good way to look at it. Practice makes perfect!”

“And we both know you’re willing to put in long hours.”

“Tirelessly,” Jordan agreed with a chuckle as they stood.

“Congratulations, man,” Asher said, his chest tightening, brimming with joy for his friend as the momentousness of what was about to happen settled in the fore of his mind. He surged forward and wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug.

“Thanks,” Jordan whispered, resting his head on Asher’s shoulder, “for everything.”

There was a knock and they turned to find Coach Baker in the open doorway.

“Ready to line up?” 

Jordan released a trembling breath and nodded as they broke apart.

“It’s game time,” Asher said, rubbing Jordan’s back as they walked from the room.

Coach Baker squeezed Asher’s shoulder and wound an arm around Jordan, whispering last minute encouragement to him.

“He good?” Spencer asked as Asher joined him and Olivia at the back of the church with the other groomspeople.

“Yeah,” Asher nodded and drummed his knuckles on Spencer’s arm.

“You good?” Olivia whispered, leaning into Spencer.

“I’m really happy,” Asher answered.

“Good, I don’t want you backing out of our wedding,” Olivia said as she reached for Spencer’s hand. 

“I already have my speech written,” Asher said as the warmth in his chest flared brighter. 

“Oh god,” Spencer muttered before kissing the side of Olivia’s head and shifting closer.

Asher laughed. Olivia and Spencer’s big day was still two months away, and the speech wasn’t so much written as outlined.

Even JJ was in a serious relationship. He stood a few feet away whisper-shouting to his girlfriend, Jenny, who was in one of the pews on Jordan’s side of the aisle. They were drawing reproachful glares from a few of the other guests, but neither seemed to care or even notice.

“Take your places,” Jordan’s mom called as she motioned for them to line up.

Asher took his place behind Jordan and his parents with Olivia and the others behind him. Jordan turned and gave him one more nervous look.

“Practice makes perfect,” Asher whispered with a knowing look.

Jordan barked out a laugh and turned around.

The music started soon after, and everyone processed up the aisle. Asher would never forget the look in Jordan’s eyes as he saw Kelli in her dress. That look never faded as they exchanged vows.

Asher glanced over his note cards one more time as Kelli’s mother announced it was time for speeches and that Asher would be going first as Jordan’s best man. 

He cleared his throat and accepted the microphone.

“I don’t do a lot of public speaking. I was in high school the last time I addressed a crowd of formally dressed people and...it didn’t end well.”

Jordan laughed and Olivia covered her face. There were audible sighs and chuckles from several of the other Beverly alums as well.

“In fact I probably wouldn’t be doing this for anyone who’s last name wasn’t Baker.” He caught Olivia’s eye and smiled.

“But Jordan is…” He let his gaze linger on him as a thousand memories flashed through his mind. “Special.”

“We met at recess on the first day of Kindergarten. My dad had bought me this Nerf football, and I was playing catch with some of the other kids. One of them threw the ball too high and it got caught in a tree. Everyone got bored and left a couple minutes later. And of course to five-year-old me, losing my new football in a tree was a disaster of historic proportions. So I’m standing there all alone, looking up at my ball and crying when Jordan comes along and announces that he can climb the tree and get it back for me. And he did...but he fell out of the tree and landed on top of me.”

The crowd laughed.

“Somehow we were both okay except for some minor scrapes and bruises, but we were so upset they had to call our moms, who arrived at around the same time and decided that we’d might as well all go out for ice cream since the first day of school was a bust.” 

Jordan and his mom shared a look with each other and with Asher.

“By the time I finished my birthday cake ice cream sundae, I had a new best friend...and a stomachache.”

“Ha!” JJ slapped the table and chuckled. “He ate too much ice cream.”

“I share this story as a warning to Kelli.” Asher made eye contact with Jordan’s wife and smirked at her. “Jordan’s a climber, and it’s up to you now to break his fall.”

“Oh lord,” she said, leaning into Jordan.

“But you’ll always have a partner who’ll do anything to solve a problem for you. He’ll take risks and put himself out there so you don’t have to, and even when he messes up and hurts you, I can personally guarantee he’ll make it up to you with something so sweet it’s almost nauseating.”

Jordan wrapped his arms around Kelli, his eyes soft and smile tender as he looked between her and Asher.

“I’d tell you to take care of him, but I’m not worried about that because in the twenty years I’ve known Jordan, I’ve never seen him happier. I’ve never seen him look at someone the way he looks at you. I’ve never seen him so in tune with someone else, so aware of their thoughts and feelings without having to ask. 

“Kelli, you’re kind, intelligent, strong-willed, and loyal. There’s no one I’d rather Jordan spend the rest of his life with. Climb high together and chase your dreams.”

Asher sank back into his seat as everyone clapped. 

There were more speeches, and then Jordan and Kelli had their first dance, after which the dance floor was opened to everyone else for another slow dance. With all the couples gone, only Nelson, Kelli’s man-of-honor, remained at the table with Asher.

“I really liked your speech,” Nelson said as he sipped his champaign.

“Thanks.” Asher smiled and drained the rest of his own champaign flute. “I liked yours too.”

Nelson nodded and his gaze drifted to Jordan and Kelli as they half-danced, half-talked with Kelli’s aunt before his attention returned to Asher. “The last best man speech I heard, I wasn’t sure if the guy was friends with the groom or wanted to personally ensure he could never make eye contact with his friends or family again.”

Asher laughed and nodded. “Probably both.”

“Probably,” Nelson agreed with a grin that made something swoop in Asher’s stomach. They had met at the wedding rehearsal and had chatted a little more at the rehearsal dinner, but this was only about the third or fourth conversation they had had. 

Asher hesitated for a few seconds before taking the plunge. “You want to dance?”

Nelson’s eyes widened and his lips parted, then pulled into a smile. He scanned the crowd. Asher scanned it too. They would be the only same-gendered people dancing. “Yes, let’s do it.” 

Asher ignored the fluttering anxiety in his chest and focused on the guy he wanted to dance with as he took his hand and led them onto the dance floor, intentionally avoiding the open spaces they passed along the perimeter and setting them up right in the middle of the action.

“You’re light on your feet,” Nelson remarked as they swayed and pivoted along with the music.

Asher snickered. “I had lessons in high school.”

Nelson’s face registered surprise, so Asher spent the rest of the song briefly relating his experience as Olivia’s date to her cotillion, complete with the confession that he had missed most of it. He left out the circumstances around _why_ and explained it away as an argument and misunderstanding. He also didn’t mention what happened to Spencer and Olivia after they left that night. If he got to know Nelson better, he’d share all that in time.

Thank you for the dance, Asher,” Nelson said as they returned to their seats. “It was really nice of you to ask. I know it must have been awkward for you.”

Asher tipped his head in question.

“Your friends were watching.” Nelson motioned with his arm toward Josh and a group of people near the bar that Asher vaguely recognized as more of Jordan’s coworkers. 

“They’re not my friends,” Asher answered, ignoring their scrutinizing gazes. He motioned back onto the dance floor at Olivia, Spencer, JJ and Jenny. JJ gave him a thumbs up. “They’re my friends.”

“Okay.” Nelson nodded and caught the attention of a waiter. “Bring me one of those Berry Rose Mojitos, please.” 

The waiter nodded. “And for you, sir?” he asked Asher.

“Just a glass of water, please.”

“C’mon, the mojitos are good. I helped Kelli pick them out.” Nelson chuckled and waved his hand. “But get one of Jordan’s butch signature drinks if you’d prefer.”

Asher smiled and shook his head. “Just an ice water,” he repeated to the waiter.

“Ugh, Mr Ice Water,” Nelson teased, rolling his eyes as the waiter left.

“I already had a glass of champaign during the toasts.”

“Oh no!” Nelson waved his hands in mock fear. “And what happens if you have a second drink?”

Asher cleared his throat and shrugged. “I maybe turn into an aggressive asshole.”

Nelson’s eyes widened and his face turned apologetic. “I’m so sorry. I heard it was Jordan’s sister who– I didn’t know you had a problem. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. Really not a big deal,” Asher answered. “I’m not addicted, but my dad’s a recovering alcoholic, and I’ve done some things in the past I regret while drinking. So I’m careful, and I have a two-drink limit, but it’s kinda soon for the second drink. I’ll have that Berry Mojito with you later though. I bet they’re good.”

“They are.” Nelson nodded and held eye contact. “And it’s commendable that you’re so careful.”

Asher shrugged and changed the subject. They traded some lighthearted stories about Jordan and Kelli. Eventually Olivia and Spencer returned to the table and joined in on the storytelling too. 

“May I have a dance?” Asher asked Olivia as one of his favorite songs came on.

“Of course.” She gave Spencer a peck on the lips and stood and took Asher’s hand.

“I can’t believe he’s _married,_ ” Asher whispered to Olivia as they took their place on the dance floor a few feet away from Jordan and Kelli. “And you’re about to be.”

“The Bakers are growing up,” she answered with a soft laugh as they fell into an easy rhythm.

Asher hummed with amused agreement and they were silent for a little while as they enjoyed the music.

“You should ask him out,” Olivia whispered.

“Hmm?” Asher asked as he pulled his eyes away from Nelson.

“He’s cute, and sweet,” she said.

“He is,” Asher agreed, studying the crooked smile on Nelson’s face as he sat at their table scrolling through his phone.

“So?”

Asher chuckled. “Maybe I’ll ask him for another dance, and then we’ll see.”

“Good.” She gave him a light squeeze. “How was your mom’s party?”

“It was cool,” he answered. “Jacob’s family is really fun to hang out with.”

The music ended and Spencer intercepted Olivia for another dance of their own as Asher returned to the table.

“Time for our drink?” Nelson asked, holding up his empty glass and shaking it. It was about his third or fourth.

Asher glanced at the time on his phone and nodded. “Sure.”

Nelson flagged down a server and ordered two Berry Rose Mojitos. Then he got up and settled into Olivia’s empty seat beside Asher.

“I’m a little buzzed. Is that okay?” he whispered, gripping Asher’s arm.

“Fine by me,” Asher chuckled. 

“Maybe this’ll be my last one too.” 

“Cool, we don’t wantcha to get sick.”

Nelson smiled at him and bumped his leg as the server returned with their cocktails.

“What should we drink to?” Nelson asked.

“Kelli and Jordan?”

“Okay, but how ‘bout Asher and Nelson too?” he asked with a wink.

“Sounds good. To all of us!” He clinked the rims of their glasses together and took a sip. “Mmm, this is good!”

“See!” Nelson lit up and took a second swallow of his drink. “I knew you’d like it. If you could get over the Rose in the name.”

Asher laughed. “I don’t have a problem with roses.”

“Alota guys do.”

“Is that so?”

Nelson gave a jerky nod and set his drink down. “You wanna hear about what happened when I gave my best guy friend a rose in eighth grade?”

Asher frowned. “Do I?”

“Oh.” Nelson covered his mouth. “Maybe it would bring down the mood. It’s okay though. There was no violence. He just made fun of me and ended our friendship.”

“That sucks. I’m really sorry it happened.” He squeezed Nelson’s forearm.

Nelson groaned and took another sip of his drink. “I don’t know why I brought that up.”

“It’s cool. We’ve all had embarrassing experiences.”

Nelson snickered. “Kelli yelled at him in front of everyone in the cafeteria.”

“Serves him right!” Asher laughed and glanced at Kelli and Jordan. They were talking to Jordan’s Grandpa Willy.

They finished their drinks, but Asher decided not to ask Nelson for a second dance after all since he seemed a little wobbly. 

“Can I give you a ride home?” Asher asked a couple of hours later as the reception was ending.

Nelson hesitated but nodded. “I feel okay, but I guess that’s safer.” He laughed. “Even if my car is the one that would be doing the driving.”

Asher brushed his shoulder against Nelson’s. “Yeah, semi-autonomous and all. Still gotta pay attention.”

They said their goodbyes to everyone and Asher guided Nelson through the parking lot to his car.

“I had a lot of fun hanging out with you tonight,” Nelson said softly as Asher finished entering his address in his phone’s GPS and routing it to the car’s navigation system. “I thought I’d be bored since I’m not really close with most of Kelli’s other friends.”

“Yeah, I had a really good time too.” Asher flashed him a smile before returning his attention to his rear view mirror, monitoring it as his car backed out of the parking spot.

They were quiet for a few minutes until Nelson cleared his throat. “So, um, I’m pretty tired.”

“It’s late,” Asher agreed, glancing at the time.

“So I guess I shouldn’t ask you to come in when we get to my place.”

Asher arched his brow. He hadn’t expected to be invited in. “Okay.”

Nelson groaned and covered his face. “You probably weren’t even interested in…hanging out.”

“No, I am.”

“You are?”

“Absolutely.” Asher smiled and reached across the seat to squeeze Nelson’s shoulder. “Like I said, I had fun with you tonight. I’d like to hang out again.”

“Oh, yeah but I meant…” Nelson laughed nervously and ran a hand through his hair. “I should just shut up, and don’t take this wrong way, but I meant _hang out_ as a euphemism.”

“Oh.” Asher’s eyes widened and heat burned his cheeks. He was grateful it was dark.

“I just didn’t want you to get the wrong idea or be disappointed later when I didn’t ask you in…for…that.”

“Honestly, that never even crossed my mind.”

“Oh god!” Nelson facepalmed and turned toward Asher in his seat, simultaneously backing up against the door. “I’m so sorry. I thought you were straight when we met, but then you asked me to dance, and I assumed you were just being nice, but then you kept being, like, _really_ nice, and I thought we were flirting but– Gah, can we just pretend the last couple minutes never happened?”

Asher laughed and gave Nelson a wide smile. “I thought we were flirting too. _I_ was flirting. And yeah, I was trying to be nice when I asked you to dance, but I also just wanted to dance with a cute guy.”

Nelson relaxed but tilted his head in question. “Then how come it never crossed your mind that when we got to my place we might…”

Asher shrugged one shoulder. “I just don’t really like moving that fast.”

“Me either!” He bounced in his seat. “I really like you, Asher. I don’t wanna just hook up once and never hear from you again.”

Asher grinned. “Same!”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Shoot.”

“Have you been with a guy before? I was getting very straight vibes from you when we met, and I know you used to date Jordan’s sister.”

Asher snickered. “And Jordan.”

“What?”

“Jordan and I used to be a thing too.”

“Holy fuck, are you serious?!”

Asher laughed and nodded. “Yeah.”

“Hmm.” Nelson tensed again and stared out through the windshield.

“Huh?”

“Does Kelli know?”

“Yep.”

“You’re sure?”

“The three of us have talked about it before.”

Nelson tsked. “I wonder why she didn’t tell me.”

Asher shrugged. “Maybe it woulda been awkward or it just didn’t come up.”

“Maybe.”

“Anyway, since Jordan, I’ve dated a couple other guys. And a couple more girls.”

“Good. I mean, I don’t care how much experience you have or don’t have, but I’m done wasting my time with guys who are just ‘experimenting.’” He curled his fingers into quote marks.

“No experimenting here. I’m sure,” Asher said as they pulled up to Nelson’s building. “And I’d like to take you out next Friday.”

Nelson smirked and tapped his phone against Asher’s, sharing his contact information. “Better plan something awesome then. It’s tough to top a wedding.”

“I have a few ideas in mind,” Asher answered with a wink.

“Well, good night.” Nelson lingered with his hand on the door handle, and Asher got the sense that he was leaving the opportunity open for a kiss. 

“Night,” he said, squeezing Nelson’s arm but making no move to kiss him. He wanted to, but he wanted their first kiss to be after their first full, proper date even more. “I’ll call you.”

Nelson laughed. “I’ll answer.”

* * *

_Three Years Later_

“You think anyone’ll notice that my Seven-Layer Dip only has four layers?” Jordan asked as he set the dish on the serving bar by the chips and plates.

The doorbell rang.

“Nah, and even if they do, no one’ll care. Those are the best four layers anyway!” Asher answered, patting Jordan’s back as he stepped around him to go to the door.

The doorbell rang again as Asher reached for the knob.

“JJ!” Asher grinned and stepped aside for him to enter as Jordan took his place behind Asher to greet their guest.

“Hey guys!” JJ gave Asher a one-armed hug, a case of beer in his other hand.

“You know, we do have drinks here,” Asher said with a laugh.

“Wanna make sure you don’t run out like last year,” JJ answered as he repeated his greeting with Jordan.

“Where’s Jenny?” Asher asked.

JJ frowned and shook his head. “She had to go to a recycling symposium in Portland.”

“Didn’t she have one of those awhile back?” Jordan asked as they went to the kitchen. Jenny was an ecologist.

“Yeah, they reuse that topic every year.” JJ chuckled and handled Jordan the beer to put away. “But at least they reduced it from twice a year.”

“Progress then,” Asher said with a smirk as he handed JJ a plate. “Glad you could make it anyway.”

“Oh yeah!” JJ dumped a handful of chips on his plate. “I wouldn’t miss one of Asher and Jordan’s Super Bowl blowouts! …Even if you guys never have enough beer.”

“That was _one_ year!” Jordan answered with a glare as he cracked open a can and shoved it at him.

The doorbell rang again and Asher jogged to answer it.

“Whoa.” He blinked as he found Ryan and Luke on his doorstep, Ryan wearing green and blue face paint and a Seahawks jersey and Luke sporting the Patriots logo on both cheeks and a blue jersey. 

“Do you guys not dress up for this?” Ryan asked as he stepped inside behind his boyfriend.

Asher shook his head.

“Aww man, you’re missing out!” Luke punched Asher’s arm.

“Hey guys, nice outfits!” Jordan called as he and JJ joined the others in the entryway.

“Dammit, why didn’t you tell me we were upping our game this year?” JJ glanced between Ryan’s and Luke’s jerseys and face paint and his own sweatshirt and slacks. “Now I look stupid.”

“You wanna wear my jersey, man?” Luke asked.

Ryan laughed and smacked his ass. “You’re just looking for an excuse to show off your pecs.”

“Are they painted?” JJ asked.

Luke shook his head and lifted the front of his Patriots jersey, flashing his torso. “Nah, just really muscular.”

Jordan whistled.

“I’m rootin’ for the Seahawks,” JJ answered, “but thanks. I’m JJ by the way.”

Ryan and Luke introduced themselves. 

“I swear it’s like you live here,” Luke said to Jordan as JJ and Ryan settled into a conversation about the Seahawks’ defensive line. 

“We just always host Super Bowl parties together,” Asher said, draping his arm around Jordan’s shoulders. “It’s tradition.”

“Naw, I get it. You need a football husband, and Nelson just isn’t up to the task,” Luke said.

Asher rolled his eyes. “I don’t need a football husband, and Nelson’s up to all the tasks that matter.”

“I bet he is.” Luke chuckled and elbowed Jordan, who laughed.

The doorbell rang again and Luke jumped into JJ and Ryan’s debate about who the Seahawks should have drafted while Asher and Jordan answered the door.

Layla gave Asher a hug and kiss on the cheek as Jordan greeted Olivia and Spencer. 

“Who’s the superfan? He’s cute,” Layla whispered, motioning with her eyes toward Ryan.

“That would be Nelson’s completely gay ex-college boyfriend, Ryan,” Asher whispered back, “but you’re right. He’s hot as fuck. And that’s his boyfriend, Luke.” He nodded with his chin toward the other guy.

Layla smiled and handed Asher her coat to hang up. “Well, at least they’ll be fun to look at.”

Asher exchanged greetings with Olivia and Spencer as Layla went to talk to the others.

“Where did Kelli and Nelson go this year?” Olivia asked with a laugh.

“Vegas for the weekend,” Jordan answered, shaking his head dramatically. “It’s like Luke was saying. They’re just not football spouses.”

“It’s okay for them to have their own interests,” Asher said with an eye roll. 

“Sure, we got each other.” Jordan grinned and hooked an arm around Asher’s waist. “Hey, where’s my nephew?”

“He’s at my mom’s,” Spencer answered.

“Are they gonna watch the game?” Jordan asked.

“He’s ten months old, so I doubt it,” Olivia answered, smirking at her brother.

“But Grace could explain it to him as they go,” Jordan said. “He’s a third generation elite athlete on both sides of his family – he’ll get it!”

“He’s a baby,” Olivia said.

“Never too young to learn!”

“Bro, quit plannin’ Travis’ football career,” Spencer said with a chuckle.

“Oh, like you haven’t!”

Spencer shrugged and smiled. “I just want my son to be happy. Football or not.”

“Right, but…football,” Jordan said with a nod.

Asher laughed and led them to the bar. “C’mon, Jordan made his Four-Layer Dip.”

“I knew something was missing last year!” Spencer shouted. 

“Dude!” Jordan shoved at Asher. “Don’t give away all my secrets.”

After everyone left for the night, Asher and Jordan cleaned up and then collapsed on the couch to watch a movie. The next thing Asher knew, he was waking up with his face pressed against Jordan’s chest. He yawned and sat up, turning off the TV.

“Jordan.” He yawned again and gently shook Jordan’s shoulder. “We fell asleep.”

“Mmkay.” Jordan turned his head in the other direction and let it lull against the back cushion of the couch. “Gimme a blanket.”

Asher laughed and gripped Jordan’s forearms as he hefted him to his feet. “C’mon, you can sleep in the guest room.”

Jordan sighed and leaned heavily on Asher as they stumbled out of the den and into the hall. “You mean my room.”

Asher chuckled and patted Jordan’s chest. He and Kelli actually were the only people who had slept there since Asher and Nelson had bought the house the year before, and the drawers were full of their spare things. “Yeah, your room.”

Jordan snickered and cooperated for the rest of the short journey to the guest room door. He opened it but stopped in the doorway and wrapped Asher up in a tight embrace. 

“Thanks Ash.” He kissed his cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you too, bro.” Asher turned his head and returned the cheek kiss. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this final chapter! My sincerest thanks to everyone for reading, and special gratitude to those who took the time to leave comments and share their thoughts along the way. Your support and feedback have been invaluable and are so appreciated!
> 
> Now it’s back to the _Teen Wolf_ fandom for me, but I do have a couple other _All American_ story ideas floating around in my head that I hope to write eventually, and I’m sure the coming new season will provide further inspiration! 
> 
> Please let me know your thoughts on how things wrapped up between Asher and Jordan if you have the chance.


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